


I want to walk towards the Future with You

by RosePetalsAndRain



Series: I want to walk towards the Future with You [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Jane Austen Fusion, Alternate Universe - Pride and Prejudice Fusion, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Kim Seungmin is Bad at Feelings, Kim Seungmin is a Little Shit, Lee Minho | Lee Know is Whipped, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Pining, Pride and Prejudice References, Regency, Regency Era, SO MUCH FLUFF BUT U GOTTA UHHH WAIT FOR IT LMAO, Seungmin makes a great Lizzie Bennet, Slow Burn, Unrequited Love, buckle up this is gonna be a ride, danceracha bingley household bc why not, feeding the 2min tag, lenient society in terms of sexuality, skz are all loving brothers in their respective families, skz said fuck period-typical gender roles, so much pining, the sass seungmin has within him is unreal, you'll see - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-14 19:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 79,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28800897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosePetalsAndRain/pseuds/RosePetalsAndRain
Summary: “Thank you, Felix, for your kindness. But I would rather hear an apology from the perpetrator himself, if he so wishes to become acquaintances,” Seungmin deadpanned, looking down at his feet in lieu of making any more eye contact. Suddenly he felt tired, frail; wanting nothing more than to immediately turn heel and not stop walking until he was safely back home and curled up in his bed, watching the silhouettes of the trees outside sway in the wind through the thick glass of his bedroom window.Although he was not fully expecting an apology, none came from Minho, and after a sizable few seconds of awkward silence passed Seungmin heard Jisung calling him from across the room; looking up to see his brother beckoning him enthusiastically.“If you will excuse me, I am needed elsewhere,” he sighed, and left his good friends with an apologetic Felix and ever-silent Minho; taking with him a slightly heavier heart than before and a social battery so drained that he would not be surprised if he were to drop onto the floor within the next minute, if not second.He does not notice the brown eyes that follow him like a magnet for the rest of his stay at the manor that night, nor the regret that filled them.
Relationships: Kim Seungmin/Lee Minho | Lee Know, Lee Felix/Yang Jeongin | I.N
Series: I want to walk towards the Future with You [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2196084
Comments: 193
Kudos: 166





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> SUP hi im back with a new au despite already having my pirate au incompleted (listen im working on both of these in unequal measure i promise pirate au hasnt been abandoned i love it like my own child)
> 
> im here to feed the 2min tag today! I've been writing this au for a while now (read: i started it last summer and then picked it up again last month), and have quite a bit of it written out. I wasn't going to post it just yet, but enthusiasm got the better of me, so here we are! Thank you to everyone who has encouraged me to post this, too; your encouragement has given me life. 
> 
> This is the first of a few chapters, so I hope i will cater to everyone's jane austen x skz cravings! i feel that pride and prejudice suits 2min very well, and hope you'll all agree >:) enjoy your stay here!

_ “Oh! Gracious, it says here in the paper that our old friend Mr Emmett is now married to a Miss Riley, and that they are to settle in Nightingale Park!” _

_ “Emmett is in possession of a great fortune, is he not? - What an advantageous marriage for his wife, then.” _

_ “Oh, because of course they should only marry for fortune, and nothing else. -- We should do well to not intrude on something so taboo and private as the matters of their personal lives and matrimony.” _

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

It was this unspoken musing, too, that every family far and wide would entertain; so much that any vague mention of anybody in possession of wealth and fortune spreading fast throughout towns and cities whilst families excitedly prepared their youth to present to such wealthy people. For it was a great thing, of course - a great achievement, even - to marry your children off to rich families. Of course, it was even a thing done by other families to their friends’ children, once their own children had been happily married off; once your own are married, what else should one focus on than getting their best friends’ children married just as happily? 

No matter the status of a new person in town, every mother and perhaps father considered anybody with a good income a rightful partner to their child. No matter how… uncomfortable… this may make their children, and even their potential suitors, it did not stop their parents from thinking so. 

After all, they felt it was their duty to marry their children as best they could. 

“In other news, the new Lee family have moved into the Evergreen Mansion on the Stratder estate just this week,” Chan, a curly-haired brunette who was the eldest son of the Kim family, announced to the table, removing his wired glasses and setting a letter down onto the breakfast table in favour of picking up his teacup to drink slowly from it. “They are famed for their wealth, are they not?” 

Seungmin, a younger man who was but one-and-twenty, snorted into his toast, crumbs flying everywhere as he attempted to smother the sound into a handkerchief. “Of course the first thing that interests you is their wealth and status, too. Why, they could be the most horrid people in the world but the one thing people would ever discuss would be their fortune. Is not there anything else to talk about in regards to them?” 

“Now now, Seungmin,” Chan replied patiently, “you must remember we know nothing of these people but their wealth - it only makes sense for us to speculate on it. They have had no scandals, nor great achievements, of which word has spread; therefore it only makes sense that the only thing we can appropriately discuss is their money. However… I do believe the family has a few young boys around our age? Perhaps one of us may have the good fortune of marrying into the family.” 

“You are worse than mother and father,” Seungmin commented blandly, having quite recovered from his laughing fit and was now enthusiastically eating the toast he had used to cover it up with. “Marriage is always on the mind these days, it seems. I cannot bear to think that one of us will marry into such a high-up family, it must be dreadfully prim and proper; I should be content to marry for love, and love only.” 

“Always sensible, Seungmin,” their father walked into the room, using his walking-stick to aid his journey as he sat down at the head of the table, giving the son in question an affectionate pat on the head on the way past, to which the younger scowled at his hair being untidied, but smiled afterwards nonetheless. “You do seem to have more sense than some of your other siblings, in any case.” 

Beaming, Seungmin stood to load his father’s plate with toast and eggs. “You flatter me, father.” 

“What news about the Lee family have we had today?” the mistress of the house, Seungmin’s mother- Mrs Kim floated into the room with grace, taking her seat at the opposite end of the table to their father. “I do believe Chan has read our letter before we ourselves have had a chance to!” 

“You would be correct, mother,” Seungmin interjected as he buttered another slice of toast. “The Lee family have moved into the Evergreen Manor; I believe they are in possession of a large fortune.” 

“Oh, how wonderful!” their mother cried, clapping her hands together with glee. “I wonder if they shall hold a ball. No doubt they will; they will be wanting to mix with society here in the countryside! I do hope we shall be included in their invitation; one of my lovely sons may catch the eye of one of the Lees!” 

Seungmin barely held back a groan as Chan giggled into his hand and kicked Seungmin under the table, none too roughly, causing Seungmin to suppress another groan; this time being one of pain. “It seems marriage is on everybody’s minds today. I shall go to find Jisung; he seems to be the only person in this house who does not talk ardently of marriage day and night.” 

“Good luck in your endeavour, Seungmin,” his father called after him in good humour, nodding in acknowledgement as Seungmin's second-eldest brother, Changbin, came downstairs and joined them at the table. “And while you are up and about, I pray that you will awaken Jeongin and Jisung for me. I can now safely burden you with the task of waking them both today, and check one more item off my to-do list!” 

Seungmin granted himself a small snicker to himself at that, for as sensible as he acted outwardly most of the time, he did indeed find the greatest pleasure in waking his brothers in the most obscure ways possible. Maybe this morning he could beg a bucket of fresh water from the kitchen to throw upon his dear brethren.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Oh, Seungmin, Seungmin, come into the parlour!” Mrs Kim cried, clapping loudly to herself. Clapping was quite the common sound in the Kim household, for Mrs Kim was of a very excitable nature, and could always find something to clap and shout about. Chan and Jisung were already with her, standing on either side of her chair and trying in vain to peer over her shoulder in order to catch a glimpse of the sacred letter she held between her fingertips. “And do fetch Changbin and Jeongin; I believe they are outside, in the gardens.”

“Do come inside, mother is kicking up a dreadful storm in the parlour and wishes us all to join her,” Seungmin got straight to the point once reaching his brothers in the gardens; predictably right where their mother had predicted them to be. “It  _ must _ be something serious for her to want all of us there with her at once.”

Each looking up from their activities- Changbin had been pruning the rose bushes and grinned a huge beam at the sight of his younger brother; and Jeongin was sitting writing letters to friends despite their father’s strict instructions to keep the writing equipment inside the house. Both immediately stopped their actions to get up and follow Seungmin inside the house. They had been raised well, of course, to honour their parents and be obedient, so Seungmin had no problem in herding them all inside, even after Changbin had snickered and thrown his palm-sized ball from the grass straight at Seungmin, who had caught it single-handedly without even blinking. It was a small victory that he let himself feel proud of for obvious reasons. 

“Oh, boys, boys, do come inside faster, I have wonderful news!” Mrs Kim was saying as the small group of brothers made their way inside. “Come, come! Do sit down.”

“What is it, mother?” Changbin was asking excitedly, not sitting down. After a pointed look from his mother he looked sheepish and sat down after all; patience is a virtue, he knew this after years of the self-same words being drilled into him. “Oh, pray tell us, I might burst if I go another minute without hearing this so-called wonderful news!” 

Now, Mrs Kim may have delayed her announcement more just to amuse herself at her son’s expense, but her own excitement and enthusiasm were too much even for herself and she found herself speaking without precedent. “I have just received a letter from the Lee family themselves, telling us that they are to hold a dance in just a fortnight, and we are all, of course, invited to attend! Oh, boys, is not this marvellous?” 

Jeongin simply gasped at the news, clearly taken aback by an invitation that had been sent so quickly after only receiving news of the Lees’ arrival that morning, whilst Jisung positively _beamed_ , taking to dancing around the drawing-room in excitement as he hummed a loud tune to himself.

“Indeed it is, mother,” Chan agreed, eyes shining at the prospect of another dance; they had not attended one in weeks! “And which day is it to be held on?”

“A Friday; so it is but sixteen days away,” Mrs Kim gushed. “Oh, my boys! You will all look so fair and handsome. I’ll wager at least one of you will sweep one of the Lee’s well off their feet!” 

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Days passed quickly, and soon enough the day of the- now famous- dance had arrived. Mrs Kim had spent all day having the maids do her hair; whilst the rest of the household took decidedly less time to ready themselves, as they all had fairly short hair that did not need so much braiding, pinning and placing. 

“Whatever becomes of tonight, I will certainly be very pleased to see my good friend Jisu,” Seungmin exclaimed to Jeongin as they readied themselves in Seungmin’s room. Changbin and Chan were both in other rooms, either together or alone; neither of Jeongin or Seungmin knew nor particularly cared. “I have not seen her in so long, it will be lovely to catch up with her in person and not just through letters, however lovely her letters may be.” 

“I daresay I would say you are quite infatuated with Miss Jisu, Seungmin, if I knew not of your preference for men,” Jeongin laughed airily, pulling on his shoes and sitting on his bed in order to lace them up with experienced hands. “Platonically, indeed, I know that you love her very much.”

“She is my most intimate friend without crossing the border into romance,” Seungmin agreed, “and I hope we should always be good friends. But I could never see her in a romantic light; of that you are correct.”

“Then I daresay I await the day that you allow yourself to fall for someone with great anticipation,” Jeongin announced, lacing one of his shoes up. 

Seungmin laughed, himself, at that statement. “I am absolutely convinced that nothing but the very deepest, truest love will sway me into entertaining the idea of marriage. No matter their status or wealth, and no matter what our dear mother says; of this I am quite determined… you, on the other hand, brother, are famous for your delicate features and gentle nature, and will surely marry well; although you are our youngest you are sure to bring fortune into this family.”

“Ah…” Jeongin smiled bashfully. “I should hope to marry for love too, Seungmin.”

“And so you will!” Seungmin beamed. “Of that I am sure. For I have come across no past potential suitors of yours that have not been absolutely infatuated with your beauty. And your heart is so pure, I am sure that only the purest soul will do it for you too.” Seungmin trailed off slightly, chancing a teasing glance up at his brother. “And that this aforementioned pure soul will be in possession of great fortune, to make for an even better marriage!” he added onto the end of his speech, unable to resist poking a little fun. “I jest… but only partly.”

Jeongin rolled his eyes, and threatened to hit the other with his shoe, if he did not stop talking and digging his metaphorical hole deeper. “And what of you, then, Seungmin?”

“Oh, I shall die a bachelor, just as I am now, I am certain,” Seungmin announced in all seriousness. “But that is of little consequence to me. Rest assured that when your many children need a teacher of archery, I shall be there to stand in and teach them to shoot _exactly_ where they should not !” 

“Oh, Seungmin,” Jeongin put his other shoe down and slipped his foot into it, before standing to embrace his brother, taking care not to trip over the long laces that had still yet to be tended to. “I am sure that you will find someone, too. Your soul is too beautiful to  _ not _ have a match!” 

“Perhaps,” Seungmin trailed off, deep in thought as he hooked his chin over his shoulder momentarily before they broke their embrace. “Perhaps - but if not, brother, then do not fret yourself. Rest assured I will be perfectly happy to never marry. Such happinesses in life can be mirrored just as well in the life of a bachelor.”

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Oh, boys, look around yourselves! Is not this the most beautiful manor you have ever seen, let alone walked in?” Mrs Kim praised Evergreen Manor as the family stepped inside, around an hour or so later. 

All around them were beautiful chandeliers and intricate paintings of each member of the Lee family lined the walls; portraits that surely must have been ever-so expensive to make; ornaments and lavish furniture were not lacking either, and Seungmin honestly felt a little out of his depth amidst all the luxury, truth be told. But nonetheless, he held his head high despite subtly linking his pinky finger with Changbin’s as they entered the ballroom, where the rest of the invitees were gathering and talking with great enthusiasm to one another, no doubt about the extravagance of the house, if not to the hosts themselves. Within a few moments, Seungmin had caught sight of Jisu and her family, and had weaved his way through the masses of people to join up with them instantly after assuring Changbin that he was now okay and more acclimated to the extravagant, yet foreign, setting. 

“Jisu, Yuna!” he greeted warmly, bowing to each girl and kissing their hands, as was the standard greeting. “I trust you are both well this fine night?” 

“Indeed we are, Seungmin,” Jisu grinned, smile bright beneath the chandelier lights as she linked her arm with her sister’s. They had long since dropped any sort of formalities with each other since both families had been close since childhood and were basically brethren themselves. “Now, enough small talk, we know each other too well for that. Have you caught sight of any of the Lee’s yet?” 

“Not yet, although I must confess I have hardly been looking,” Seungmin admitted. “There is so much talk of them that I feel quite bored with them already, and most people are only interested in them for their fortunes. It must be incredibly dull for them.” 

“Oh, hush, Seungmin, do not talk like that,” Yuna chastised. “I am sure they are a splendid family if one makes the effort to look beyond their wealth. Disregarding that - what have you been doing recently? Do tell us some more stories from your household, I am afraid our lives have been quite boring since the last time we met.”

Seungmin was, of course, happy to oblige, and launched into a riveting tale of the last time he had been practising archery in their garden and had missed his target completely, coming very close to hitting an unsuspecting Chan in the midriff with his arrow- which would have done little harm apart from winding his brother, as the arrow was very blunt and could do little harm- but it was a funny tale to tell, and Seungmin flattered himself to be quite good at storytelling, and prided himself on making even the most reluctant listener laugh at his retellings of tales and memories.

“Oh!” Jisu gasped, looking at something, or someone, behind Seungmin a while later, effectively cutting Yuna off mid-sentence. “Do be subtle, but I think I have spotted one of the Lees…”

Seungmin, who was never one for subtlety and did not believe in hiding anything, let alone looking at somebody (and as a child had come off rude to people for his staring; something he had to learn to combat quite young) whirled around, much to Jisu and Yuna’s amusement and whispered exasperation, and openly scanned the room for an unknown face. The Lee’s would be easy to spot, for when living in the countryside everybody knew everybody and so a new face always stuck out immensely. 

“Oh, I see,” Seungmin whispered, leaning back to be within earshot of his two friends, but nobody else’s. “Indeed they _are_ beautiful, as everybody had rumoured.”

“I flatter them, they are,” Yuna agreed, taking out her fan and hiding her mouth with it; an easier way of being subtle whilst talking. “It seems one of them has already taken a fancy to your brother, Seungmin!”

“Which brother? Where?” Seungmin’s words came out short and incomplete in his haste to look around for the source of Yuna’s words. “Oh, indeed. I see, I see. That did not take them long!” he jested, beaming at the sight of Jeongin being approached in earnest by one of the Lee’s; still unnamed until Seungmin would have the pleasure of being introduced to him. The young man had brown eyes and freckles, they were close enough to observe, and average height; blonde hair that he wore quite long considering the current fashions, in a peculiar yet fitting overgrown style, and he wore it loose, looking admittedly soft, not braided or pinned back as the ladies did to their, much longer, hair. One side of Seungmin wanted to walk across the room to reach out and touch it; it really did look so soft, but of course that would be every level of improper. Perhaps if Jeongin ever  _ did _ marry this Lee man, he could ask him to run his hands through this man’s hair and report back to Seungmin himself.

“I do wonder how he keeps his hair looking so soft,” Jisu voiced Seungmin’s exact thoughts, “for mine is healthy but does not look nearly as soft as his. I should like to be introduced to him, and so I could ask him upon better acquaintance.” 

“Maybe once he and Jeongin are better acquainted, Jeongin could introduce us all, and we can endeavour to find out the secrets of his hair together,” Seungmin remarked. “Where is the rest of the family? I have quite lost sight of them.”

“I think… ah! Over by your left, dear Seungmin, I spy another,” Yuna giggled quietly behind her fan, inclining her head in the direction of another two young men- that, at least, concluded the three Lee brothers. These two seemed most different in their mannerisms and ways; for one, who was slightly smaller than the other, had black hair and looked incredibly pleasant in his features; a smile graced his lips and he was looking about the room merrly, smiling at the guests who dared meet his eyes and shaking hands warmly with the people he was introduced to. On the other hand, the slightly taller, brunet man beside him, certainly looked gentler in some aspects; his features soft and almost catlike, and the way he moved graceful and fluid, but he did not smile nearly as much as his brother, although he did still engage in conversation with those he was introduced to. 

“I daresay the smaller young man looks friendlier than the taller, although we do know better as to not make judgements based on what a person looks like,” Seungmin commented in a whisper. “He certainly seems gentle in his apparel.” 

“They are all so very handsome,” Jisu sighed, pulling out her own fan as well to hide behind. 

“Indeed,” Seungmin agreed, eyes widening as he caught sight of Jeongin pointing him out to his new acquaintance, and the two beginning to make their way over to the three. “Hark, here they come.”

“And may I introduce one of my brothers, Kim Seungmin, and our good friends, Misses Choi Jisu and Yuna. And to you all, this is Lee Felix, a friend of the Lee family,” Jeongin formally introduced, as appropriate. The revealed Lee family friend - Felix - bowed to the three, expressing warm regards and delight upon meeting them all.

Seungmin hid a look of surprise. Only a _friend_ of the Lees? How strange, that he should share their surname, if he was not related to them. A strange coincidence indeed.

“I do hope you will all find our residence comfortable tonight, and that your needs shall all be acquainted for,” Felix smiled charmingly, “and, Mr Kim,” he said, singling Seungmin out, to which Seungmin laughed easily and assured the elder that he could just call him Seungmin- for there were so many of his brothers here that it would surely cause confusion among them all to be called by Mr Kim. 

“Ah, I thank you. Mr Seungmin,” Felix corrected himself, “I have already reserved the first two dances with your brother here, but I was wondering if you would do me the great honour of dancing the third with me?”

“Why, it would be my pleasure,” Seungmin agreed, eyes widening in delight, for he did love to dance. “I look forward to it, and I thank you greatly.”

“The pleasure is all mine, for I look forward to getting to know your family better,” Felix told Seungmin warmly, before he and Jeongin left to take their places in the middle of the room, where people had already gathered in preparation for the first dance. Jisu let out a great sigh once they left, and squeezed Seungmin’s arm in excitement, barely holding back a quiet squeal.

“I daresay that went marvellously well, Seungmin! Mr Felix already seems quite taken with your brother,” she commented, and who was Seungmin to disagree at the sight of Felix having eyes for only Jeongin at that moment? Of course, at first it could only be through pure attraction, for the two hardly knew anything about each other past their names and appearances, but even a blind man could see that the attraction was definitely mutual between the two. Seungmin grinned to himself quietly, failing to notice a pair of catlike eyes following his movements from the other side of the room as he watched the two begin to dance.

Lee Felix was indeed a graceful dancer, making even the most basic of steps look fluid and delicate as he danced the first two songs with Jeongin, never failing to smile and make what looked like lively conversation with Seungmin’s brother whenever possible. Sitting on a wooden chair near the dancing, Seungmin sat and quietly observed everybody else, much preferring to watch than partake in events such as these. He watched as people danced, and conversed, and laughed; smiled a secret smile to himself at the sight of Chan fluttering from group to gathering of people to talk and catch up with them; ever the social butterfly; and at the sight of Changbin sipping wine from a crystalline glass as he conversed quietly with his own close friends. At times, Seungmin envied his brothers’ sociable skills, but other times like this, he was content that he did not possess the particular ability to march up to people and converse; for if he, too, possessed such an affinity for socialising, then he would certainly miss out on the little details that one only spots when particularly observant. 

He can safely warrant that Chan is as observant as Seungmin himself is, at times, socially inept. 

The second song ends, and as promised, Felix sidled up to where Seungmin was sitting, and kissing Jeongin’s hand before leaving him next to Seungmin’s chair before offering Seungmin a hand instead, which was gladly taken.

“It is so good to dance with you, Seungmin,” Felix beamed as they took their places opposite each other, waiting for the starting notes of the next song to begin. 

“And you, Mr Lee,” Seungmin returned easily, “And how did you find dancing with my dear brother?”

“Oh, he is beautiful, is he not? I must confess to be quite taken with him already,” Felix’s eyes positively sparkled. “I hope that it is not indecent of me to say so. But enough about that - I am dancing with you to speak to  _ you; _ and not about any other subject.”

“Well then, what do you wish to talk about?” Seungmin laughed easily, side-stepping before back-stepping, as per the step pattern for this dance. “I beg that you ask to your heart’s content.”

“Well, your interests perhaps? I, for one, enjoy reading immensely, and have become rather proficient in shooting as of late.”

“I also enjoy reading, and have scarcely gone a week without devouring a new book where possible. I flatter myself to be rather a dab hand at archery, too.” 

“Archery!” Felix exclaimed as they spun around each other, pausing for a moment for them to weave between people before rejoining, “We do have some rather wonderful archery spaces within the grounds of Evergreen. I insist that you visit sometime and try them!” 

“That is a generous offer indeed. Thank you. And whilst we are here, I should like to ask - and I hope that I do not come across as rude - but you were mentioned before as simply a friend of the Lee family, and yet you share their surname. May I be so crude as to ask why?” Seungmin’s cheeks set aflame with embarrassment at his own nerve to ask such a personal question upon first acquaintance, but his curiosity burned brighter, getting the better of him before he could monitor the words escaping his lips. To his immense relief, Felix only laughed airily, letting go of his hand again to weave back between their company before they met again in the middle of the ballroom, slipping back into hold.

“Why, it is a perfectly acceptable question, worry not! I just so happen to have the same surname as the Lee family; I have been staying with them for a few years now. It is indeed a strange coincidence, but it feels fitting to me, for I feel as at home with them as I ever did with my own family, if not more so.” 

Seungmin did not press further, knowing enough of etiquette to not pry into Felix’s past life story; his curiosity sated. The two talked for the rest of the dance; things of little importance but that offered a stronger bond of friendship to begin to formulate between them, and once the music ended Seungmin found himself with a new kind of smile on his face: the one brought about by familiarity and good company. He rather liked it. 

“I have promised my sister a dance too, so I will take my leave now, as she is only in town tonight, and will surely eat me alive if I neglect her before she leaves tomorrow,” Felix bid Seungmin goodbye before disappearing back into the crowds, presumably to find his visiting sister. Seungmin instantly whirled around, eyes flying about the room to find Jeongin, or rather  _ any _ of his siblings, although Jeongin was certainly preferable due to his new…  _ affections _ regarding his dance partner. Luckily, he could single his brother out quite easily due to a stroke of fate allowing them close proximity, and Seungmin crossed the room at once, with eyes only for his youngest brother. 

“Jeongin, Mr Lee is indeed quite lovely, is he not? The dance we shared was much more than agreeable, I must say,” Seungmin exclaimed as soon as he managed to disentangle Jeongin from his present conversation with another. “What are your thoughts on him? He seemed rather taken with you, I daresay.” 

Jeongin blushed, redirecting his gaze carefully back to the dancing. “He seemed very pleasing.” 

“You always were one to hide your true feelings, Jeongin,” Seungmin observed fondly, patting his shoulder in solidarity. “Whatever it is you are thinking, you have my full support behind you -- oh, heavens above, he’s coming back.”

“Jeongin, Seungmin,” Felix greeted again, nodding at the two. “I was wondering, Jeongin, if you would give me the highest honour of yet another dance?” 

“Of course,” Jeongin accepted the proffered hand graciously, and together the two walked back into the middle of the room, taking their respective places beside one another. Seungmin sank into a nearby chair - thankfully, this one was more comfortable than the wooden one he had previously occupied - and allowed himself to relax into the worn cushioning, watching the dancing once more. 

It was not until the next few dances had passed that Seungmin stopped people-watching and instead decided to eavesdrop on nearby conversations. With all of his family and close friends otherwise occupied at different points of the manor and consequent party, there was nothing else to do! Or at least, this was his excuse for doing such a thing. 

The first conversation he heard was simply  _ tedious _ ; he could not bear to listen to more than a minute of it. It was then that he caught sight of Felix, slightly out of breath from dancing and good company, walking up to Lee Minho, who was standing but a few people away from Seungmin and appeared, too, to be watching the dancing. 

“Why, Minho, you should join the party!” Felix exclaimed, exuding friendliness and ease. “At least ask one of the Kim brothers to stand up with you. I have danced with all bar one; they are pleasantness incarnate!” 

“I have no wish to stand up with anybody,” Minho replied shortly. “I have no acquaintance with anybody here as of yet and have no wish to make so.” 

“I have never heard of such silliness in my life! Would you not at least wish to make one friend here?”

“Absolutely not. The company here is almost _common_.” 

“You may think so, yet I have never had the pleasure of such lively people in my life, Minho.” 

“That is because you are hopeful and optimistic.”

“Oh, do lighten up!” Out of the corner of his eye, Seungmin saw Felix lean a little closer into Minho, and Seungmin himself could barely conceal a grin, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from breaking character as he stared straight ahead, acutely aware of Felix subtly pointing Seungmin out to Minho. “See, that is Kim Seungmin over there - Jeongin’s elder brother. He has nobody to dance with as of now; you should go and ask him!”

Seungmin bit down on the inside of his mouth to keep from reacting as Minho’s head turned, too, to study him. 

“He has an air of beauty about him, I suppose. I can see why his family has a reputation for their looks here, compared to the rest of the folk… but he is not intriguing enough; nor beautiful enough, to convince me to stand up with him.”

Unable to contain himself, a tiny snort escaped Seungmin’s mouth and he stood abruptly, brushing past the two as he held his breath, not wanting to break down laughing in such a public spot. Waiting until he had rounded a corner, he caught sight of Jisu and Yuna, and made a swift beeline for them, begging that they hide him whilst he laughed his heart out. 

“Dear lord, what has gotten into you?” Jisu asked, little giggles escaping her too as she watched her friend try in vain to contain tears of mirth. “What could have possibly happened?”

“You will never guess, my dear friend, what I have just overheard,” Seungmin stepped closer, a hand on both of his friends’ arms pulling them closer, “I happened to be sitting by the wall just there, watching the dancing and observing the lack of dance partners for the people waiting sadly to dance. Lee Felix himself exits the masses and heads straight for Lee Minho, who was waiting idle by my very chair - and when I overheard Mr Felix telling Mr Minho to ask me to dance, he-” Seungmin had to stop there to let out another barely-contained shriek of laughter. “He - he said,  _ he is not intriguing, nor beautiful enough to convince me to stand up with him _ !” 

“He did  _ not _ ,” Yuna whispered loudly, sounding utterly scandalised at Seungmin’s words. “Did he really say those words?”

“Through and through, word for word,” Seungmin confirmed, unable to hold eye contact without laughing some more. “There is a proud man if ever you saw one! The absurdity of it - I am so amused by the event that I cannot even find it within me to be offended.” 

“Be sure that if I had heard them come out of his mouth the event would have gone much differently,” Jisu threatened, lips pursed. “To draw such a conclusion about you after laying eyes on you once!” 

“At least we know now not to waste our time being curious about him and his personality,” Seungmin concluded, having finally calmed down to an extent. “Some wealthy people truly are simply a pretty face and seemingly nothing else.”

“Normally I would disagree, but I must draw agreement on this occasion,” Yuna agreed. “Hark - is that him just there, through the door?” 

“It is indeed,” Seungmin replied, and the three of them eyed the man walking through the door frame, seemingly looking for somebody. It really was a shame that he was apparently so stuck-up and prejudiced, or else Seungmin might have found intrigue in  _ him _ , ironic as the fact is. 

His blue coat brushed against the door as he passed through it, eyes flitting about the room before ultimately landing on Seungmin, Yuna and Jisu, causing the former of the three to immediately panic and duck behind his friends. 

“Hide me, with your fans or similar,” Seungmin whispered frantically, “for I fear I am not yet quite composed following my laughing fit! What a spectacle I should make of myself if he were to come over here and talk to us.”

“I am afraid there is nothing we can do, Seungmin, for he is coming over already,” Yuna breezed, fanning herself instead of hiding Seungmin. “Do stand up straight; you will surely embarrass yourself even further if you are caught slouching so.” 

“But he has not been introduced to any one of us! It is improper!” Seungmin nearly squeaked, face pink and eyes wide. “Surely a man of his elevated status must know as much.” 

“Perhaps he simply does not care - oh, no, here comes Mr Lee,” Jisu hid her mouth with her fan to whisper hastily, “he is joining the  _ other _ Mr Lee and they are both walking straight towards us. I insist that you stop squeaking before they  _ hear us! _ ” 

“But -- oh, lord, they’re here.” Straightening up, Seungmin bowed formally as Jisu and Yuna nodded towards their two newcomers, and Felix smiled jovially, gesturing to Minho, who stood on his right side. “Seungmin, I do believe these are your friends! I am Lee Felix, and this here is my good friend Lee Minho. Minho, this is Kim Seungmin, and his friends…?” 

“Oh, forgive me - Miss Shin Yuna and Choi Jisu,” Seungmin introduced, and the two ladies nodded in acknowledgement, letting Felix bow to them in greeting.

“Splendid. If it’s not too much of a bother, I came over here in the hopes of introducing Minho here to Seungmin - I do believe it is within his  _ best interests. _ ” The last two words were lightly emphasised, and Seungmin could have sworn he saw Minho bat at Felix’s elbow with a swat of his hand. 

“Really?” Seungmin asked, before he could stop himself, “are you sure that I am  _ intriguing enough _ for introduction?” 

Minho froze minutely, and Felix laughed, the sound steeped in uneasiness as the air thickened with tension. Seungmin did not miss the way that Jisu and Yuna’s fans flew to their noses in an attempt to hide their shocked delight, and Seungmin stood his ground personally, not ready to back down from a petty form of rebellion in the face of insulting strangers.

“I must apologise, Seungmin, on behalf of what you overheard,” Felix immediately spoke, “my friend was out of line. Regardless, it is his personal and particular wish that you both be introduced so that you may know each other better.” 

“Thank you, Felix, for your kindness. But I would rather hear an apology from the perpetrator himself, if he so wishes to become acquaintances,” Seungmin deadpanned, looking down at his feet in lieu of making any more eye contact. Suddenly he felt tired, frail; wanting nothing more than to immediately turn heel and not stop walking until he was safely back home and curled up in his bed, watching the silhouettes of the trees outside sway in the wind through the thick glass of his bedroom window.

Although he was not fully expecting an apology, none came from Minho, and after a sizable few seconds of awkward silence passed Seungmin heard Jisung calling him from across the room; looking up to see his brother beckoning him enthusiastically. 

“If you will excuse me, I am needed elsewhere,” he sighed, and left his good friends with an apologetic Felix and ever-silent Minho; taking with him a slightly heavier heart than before and a social battery so drained that he would not be surprised if he were to drop onto the floor within the next minute, if not millisecond. 

He does not notice the brown eyes that follow him like a magnet for the rest of his stay at the manor that night, nor the regret that filled them.


	2. chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Seungmin, Seungmin! Oh, you will never guess what occurred whilst you were gone!” It was a week later exactly, and Seungmin had just returned from a long, leisurely walk along the frozen riverbank, greeted by Chan running to meet his brother, swaddled in a blanket from their parlour and looking rosy-cheeked indeed. “Oh, I’ll simply tell you, since you will never think of it and I have little patience for guessing-games as of now. Jeongin has been instructed by mother to write a letter inviting none other than Lee Felix to dinner tonight!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're back after just a few days!!! the temptation to make this fic a weekly-update one was big.... but three days later I'm back with another chapter because I physically couldn't stay away. Enjoy!

“Oh, and you should have seen the younger Lee boy! A Mr Felix, I believe. His eyes scarcely left Jeongin all night long! They danced the first two dances together, and then Seungmin had the third, but straight after Mr Felix had no other priority than to come directly back to Jeongin!” Mrs Kim was rambling to Mr Kim, full of energy as always. “Granted, he did dance with some others as well, but it was only Jeongin he would come back to, each and every time! See if they are not married by the end of the year; I implore you to seek consequence if I am wrong!” 

“Ah, our Jeongin seeming the most likely to be engaged before the rest of his brothers, who are all older than him? An unlikely occurrence, but I am proud nonetheless,” Mr Kim commented with twinkling eyes. “If it will be so, I wish you all the happiness in the world.”

“Thank you, father,” Jeongin gratefully replied, “but I have no plans regarding matrimony as of yet. It has been but one night! You cannot expect me to entertain the thought of a lifelong marriage after a meagre few hours of acquaintence.”

“A sensible boy indeed, I have raised you well.” 

“The rest of the family were very pleasant, too, or rather - those that I had met,” Mrs Lee continued, her excitement unperturbed. “Unfortunately, I had not the pleasure of meeting the eldest son. But Mr Hyunjin, too, was indeed lovely, and their parents too! They do indeed seem like good, fair people.”

“Seungmin had the  _ pleasure _ of seeing what their eldest was like, did you not, dear brother?” Changbin took the nearest opportunity to tease. “Do tell us what you told me last night.”

Seungmin could barely hold back an eyeroll. “I did not formally meet the man until after this event I will now describe, but found out through Mr Felix that his name is Minho, as he told me when we were dancing. But I had been sitting and admiring the dances later on in the evening when Mr Felix approached Mr Minho and asked why he was not dancing.”

Changbin was already snickering into his breakfast. 

“Despite there being a shortage of dance partners for everybody, he still refused to dance and said that Jeongin was perhaps the only attractive person in the room. At least of that, I can praise him for his taste, though in doing so he indirectly slighted Chan, Jisung and Changbin, too! When Mr Felix pointed me out to him, for they did not know I could hear them, he labelled me neither beautiful, nor intriguing enough for him to stand up with.” Seungmin finished shortly, grinning as Changbin burst into open giggles, light and airy. 

Mrs Kim, on the other hand, looked positively hurt on behalf of her son, gasping loudly as Chan’s head shot up in shock at the audacity of Mr Minho’s words, and Jisung immediately got up to deliver a short embrace to Seungmin over the uncomfortable high-backed wood of their chairs. “Not handsome enough indeed! I should have this Mr Minho know that  _ all _ of my sons are famed for their beauty around here. Not intriguing enough to tempt him. How stuck-up! I can scarcely believe he had the nerve to say such a thing!” Mrs Kim exclaimed, hands flailing wildly in unconcealed rage on behalf of her son.

"Indeed, we do not need a Mr Lee Minho to validate our beauty; on that front at least, we know that we are attractive," Chan said, ruffling the hair of the two brethren next to him; who happened to be Changbin and Seungmin. "Spiteful man. To say such a thing so openly... I do wonder at what possessed him to be so upfront and blatant in his disregard for you, poor Seungmin - and upon zero acquaintance to you, too!"

"He was very wrong to speak of it, Seungmin," Jeongin agreed, "for with no words at all having been exchanged between you it was wholly nonsensical to form a judgement of you so soon."

“It is quite alright,” Seungmin pacified his family before they could talk any further. “I can safely say he did not bruise my pride, nor my ego. It did not affect me! But indeed, such a comment said so openly had indeed led me to think rather lowly of him, to judge somebody so quickly. I can assure you, mother, if he should ever offer to dance in the future, I will flatly refuse him.” 

And with Mrs Kim satisfied and Changbin’s giggles subsided, breakfast in the Kim household resumed as normal. Normality, however, could not be accounted for in another household…

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“And Felix was  _ quite _ enamoured with the youngest Kim son, I can safely say!” Mr Lee, head of the Lee household, was telling Mrs Lee, their mother- who had been absent from her sons’ presences throughout a lot of the night prior; far too distracted with meeting all of the guest families and establishing good connections with their new neighbours to be able to pay much attention to the dance partners of her sons- or even lack thereof, in Minho’s self-brought case.

“Oh, what was his name, dear? Was he the young fox lookalike I glimpsed dancing with you at the start of the night?” Mrs Lee extended an arm to stroke Felix’s cheek affectionately. The boy in question flushed a pretty pink and nodded, letting his surrogate father do the talking for him for the time being. Despite having no immediate family of his own, Felix made it a habit to travel with the Lee’s, and was as close and intimate a family friend that he may as well have been accounted for as a second son by now, and had lived with the Lee’s for much of his life now, despite his inherited wealth lending enough for him to live, perfectly comfortably, on his own estate. Yes, indeed: the Lee’s had become his second family, and he called them as such; he should not have it any other way, not for all the fortunes in the world.

“He was indeed a pleasant boy! But I daresay he was not from the wealthiest family among our acquaintances; though he was by far one of the handsomest.”

“But what does wealth matter, sir, when one could marry for love instead?” Felix spoke up, a dreamy expression drowning his eyes as he stared off into seemingly nowhere for a second. “I should prefer to marry Jeongin for love than to marry some other person for their wealth. Am I not wealthy enough for the two of us?”

“Indeed you will be, my boy, upon receiving your inheritance. We shall have to see whether you do grow to love one another in the future to discuss more on this topic,” Mr Lee finalised, silencing any argument that Felix may have countered with with a stern look, and so Felix closed his mouth with a small sigh. 

“Do not be so hasty as to fall for him without knowing him properly, Felix,” Minho advised, pouring tea from a china pot into a delicate cup. “I would rather you secure happiness in any marriage arrangement than rush into things before realising their flaws too late.”

“Is that not why one _should_ marry before knowing much else of their partner?” Hyunjin jested in good humour, walking into the breakfast parlour and sinking down at the table with grace, snatching a freshly warmed slice of toast from the pile in front of him. “That way one should know as little of their spouse’s flaws as possible.”

“I wonder at your thoughts sometimes, really I do,” Minho jested back. 

“And what of you, Minho?” Hyunjin switched the focus to his brother instead of Felix. “I do hope your attention was finally captured by somebody. Perhaps you found Mr Seungmin, sometime after your rather awkward introduction, and apologised to him at least?”

“I should be so lucky,” Mr Lee interjected, “for when I discussed the matter of potential dance partners with your brother, he said there was nobody enticing enough.”

“Oh, surely you jest!” Hyunjin cried, “For everybody was so agreeable; yet he said along the same lines of that sentence to Felix, too, I have been told.” He felt he knew Minho enough to know that he was definitely hiding something from the table.

“I do not jest, and I will not make merry in such lowly company again,” Minho said, but his words were all bark and no bite, for he did not have a  _ choice _ whether he attended such events again as long as he lived under the same roof as everybody else. “If you will excuse me, I will now leave and ride for a while.” Without another word, he was gone.

The room steeped in silence after that as tea leaves steeped in water, before at long last returning to its usual lively chatter. They knew their Minho better than anybody, and therefore knew for a fact that it was only his own feelings of denial that he worked so hard to cover up; once he had figured that out for himself, everything would return to normal; the sweet, providing Minho they all knew would be back once more.

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Seungmin, bundled up in boundless scarves and layers, thought it to be a good idea to sit by the lake just a mile away from his house, for there was a lovely willow tree there, and he should like to sit and read instead of partaking in the typical, more…  _ laborious, _ or indeed _masculine_ activities such as shooting or horse-riding today. Why should one only be trained specifically in activities that are assigned to them at birth according to their gender? It was absolutely  _ past _ Seungmin to think about the concept - and when he himself would marry a man, why would he also need to be well-versed in the same things as his husband would likely have grown up learning?  _ No _ \- he would live as he wanted to, thank you very much. 

Ignoring how much contempt this earned him from his more traditional-thinking elders, this mindset enabled Seungmin to live a lively, full life full of the lack of boundaries created by norms and stereotypes, and the man loved it with all of his being. He felt that it gave him a sense of enrichment; more development than most, and areas of expertise that many may not expect from him.

Besides: he did so love being accomplished in every area possible. Why should he stop at shooting and horseback riding when he could learn to play an instrument and embroider, too? He would stop at nothing to master everything he possibly could; his thirst for life unquenchable.

Picking up a worn copy of his favourite book, he sat down beneath the willow, immediately hissing at the feeling of icy soil seeping through his layers as if he had sat there with bare skin to begin with, but he disregarded the feeling and began to read, with nothing but the silent scenery of frosted grass and misty air surrounding him.

He was so far immersed in his book that he did not hear the sound of approaching hooves, loud and clear against frozen ground. 

“Mr Kim?” a shocked voice broke through the peaceful silence, and Seungmin was forcefully wrenched from his beloved plot.

Lee Minho, sitting astride his horse, dismounted as soon as Seungmin looked up, leading the steed as he walked over to Seungmin and looking suitably surprised to see the younger sitting in such extreme conditions. “It is freezing, yet still you are sitting here. Are you unwell?”

“I assure you I am quite alright.” Seungmin offered a tight-lipped smile. “I am simply sitting here to read, and to enjoy the scenes that I live among.”

“Oh.” Minho’s breath made the air surrounding his face more misty, and for a second he looked as though he was surrounded by clouds; untouchable. “Is it not terribly cold for you?”

“Yes, quite; but as you can see I am alright. A little cold never hurt anyone.”

“Perhaps, but you are without even a blanket… forgive me, but it seems it is even about to  _ snow _ . Surely you will freeze. Please, allow me to take you home.”

Seungmin breathed out a silent syllable of laughter, and watched as Minho’s eyes followed the consequent cloud as it expanded out and up into the air.

“If it snows, then I shall be surrounded with even more beauty. There is no such pleasure as being outside when there is snowfall, and feeling it settle in your hair, and eyelashes.” A single robin redbreast fluttered past them, landing on Seungmin’s knee, where it sat for a few seconds before continuing on its journey into the icy unknown. “It is a gentle experience, and one that few experience because of the fear of a little cold.” The offer of a horseback ride home hung heavy and unanswered in the air, and Seungmin had not the energy to acknowledge, nor answer it.

“Peculiar,” Minho mumbled, almost as if he did not want Seungmin to hear him. “I have never come across someone with such blatant disregard for their health before.”

Seungmin glared at him, closing his book with a snap. “I’ll have you know that I care very much for my health, and as you can see I am bundled up sufficiently for a little while in the winter weather. If you have nothing else to comment on then I beg that you go and warm up out of this chilling weather that you seem to fear so sharply.”

Minho’s brow furrowed an inkling, before his face slipped back into that impassive mask that Seungmin had already grown to associate him so strongly with.

“Very well. Enjoy your book, Mr Kim,” he bid, and then promptly mounted his horse, settling into a full gallop once facing away and riding away into the fog.

Sitting and watching in disbelief as the elder man rode out into the day, Seungmin’s mind raced with questions, each one feeling more infuriated than the last.  _ The attitude of this man… Why did he ride up simply to cite how cold it is? Why did he deliver his concerns in such a cold, displeased manner when nobody asked him to express them at all? Why- _

A snowflake landed directly on the tip of Seungmin’s nose, and he blinked, crossing his eyes to get a better look at it. It was a great one in size, though it started to melt the moment it made contact with the flushed skin there , dissipating into a droplet of water that slid down and fell away onto the closed book in his hands. Due to the size of the new flurry, Seungmin sighed and got up from his spot beneath the willow tree, deeming it time to go back inside unless he really  _ did _ intend to catch hypothermia and pass away before he had time to tease his brothers for finding unlikely spouses.

Walking back through the thickening layers of snow, the memory of Minho on his horse began to fade, and soon it had left Seungmin’s immediate mind, pushed back into the back of his mind; perhaps never to be examined again. Perhaps it was for the best.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Seungmin, Seungmin! Oh, you will never guess what occurred whilst you were gone!” It was a week later exactly, and Seungmin had just returned from a long, leisurely walk along the frozen riverbank, greeted by Chan running to meet his brother, swaddled in a blanket from their parlour and looking rosy-cheeked indeed. “Oh, I’ll simply tell you, since you will never think of it and I have little patience for guessing-games as of now. Jeongin has been instructed by mother to write a letter inviting none other than Lee Felix to dinner tonight!” 

“Mr Felix! Already, heavens above,” Seungmin exclaimed, and rushed inside with his brother, where Jeongin and Jisung were sitting by the fire whilst Changbin lounged on a chair a little way away, watching with amused eyes. Jeongin’s cheeks were as rosy as anyone else’s, but Seungmin suspected that, unlike the rest of his kin, the reason for his flushing was for different reasons than the fire entirely.

“Read it aloud, pray,” Chan instructed, shaking Jeongin’s arm in eagerness. “Tell Seungmin what you are about to send to Felix.” 

Jeongin cleared his throat, and began.

_ Dear Felix, [ _ it read _ ],  _

_ I had most enjoyed our dancing last week, and your company was lovely indeed, as have been the floral arrangements you have taken the liberty of sending here since. I was wondering if there may be a chance to see you again, outside of balls and parties, if you should come over to Maplebrook for dinner tonight? Please send a messenger back with your answer as soon as possible. _

_ Sincere regards,  _

_ Jeongin. _

“Well, he certainly kept things short and to the point,” Jisung giggled through his fingers, “but I marvel at this sudden attachment! It seems you already cannot bear to be apart from Felix, dear Jeongin.”

“You know already that I am only reaching out upon mother’s instructions, and not of my own will,” Jeongin smoothed the parchment over his lap, fingers shaking just slightly. “... Although it is strange that she did not extend the invitation to the rest of the family. I should feel awkward, inviting only one of them.”

“Well, we cannot trespass on the invitation and extend it, as much as we may like to,” Changbin reminded him, and smoothed down Jeongin’s hair with the same gentleness as Jeongin had exerted onto the paper. “but we shall support you from across the table, rest assured! And do not forget that Felix sent you flowers just this week past, too! The Lee residence may see our invitation as merely an extension of his gifts, as if you are courting him already.”

“Indeed it seems that way!” Jisung interjected, eyes flickering across the room to the vase standing pretty upon a tabletop, full of beautifully picked flowers. “It already seems they are courting; there can be no doubt of their interests in each other by now.”

“Perhaps I should start afresh and request that the rest of the household come with,” Jeongin lamented, but the brothers in question were quick to shush him upon that matter. 

“You will do no such thing, dear Jeongin! I am sure that dinner will be quite the pleasant affair, and you will get to know Felix much better even  _ if  _ the rest of your dear family are there with you both, causing insurmountable amounts of chaos. We can save that amount of disorder for another day, if tonight goes well.”

Jeongin sighed, and Seungmin smiled, kneeling in front of their youngest and poking his cheek with one finger. “And what will you  _ wear _ ? Surely you will want to be wearing your finest tonight.”

His brother admittedly cracked a smile at that, and pushed away Seungmin’s finger with a bat of his hand. “I shall wear the same as if I were dining at an old friend’s house for the night. Oh, you’ll wait up with me, won’t you? I should like so much to stay with you all, and possess the knowledge that you are supporting me throughout... my personal backbones, giving me strength.”

“Our sleep plans have flown right off our agendas,” Jisung assured him with a wide grin, leaning in affectionately, and already Jeongin seemed much more relieved, ready to face the night with renewed vigour at the prospect of having his brothers sending him encouragement from across whichever room everybody should end up in that night. Indeed, the idea of inviting just one member of the Lee household over was much less daunting with his dear brothers serving as his pillars of solidarity.

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The dining room was silent; a rare feat, save for the clattering of plates and cutlery as platters of food was brought in by the servants. Mr and Mrs Kim sat at either end of the table whilst their sons and Felix lined the sides: Jisung, Chan and Felix sitting on one side whilst Seungmin, Jeongin and Changbin took their places opposite respectively, but only once everyone had begun eating did conversation begin.

“So, Mr Lee,” Mrs Kim began, taking care to swallow her food before speaking, much to everybody’s relief, “how long do you plan to stay at Evergreen for?”

“We plan to stay for as little as a few weeks, ma’am,” Felix answered politely, “but I am enjoying my time here so much that I do hope that we may at least stay a few months.” He looked across the table, where Jeongin met his gaze shyly, a hint of a smile tracing his lips. “Yes… I should hope to stay a few months at  _ least _ .” 

“Well, that is splendid.” Mrs Kim spread her hands before picking her cutlery back up. “And I trust you are very wealthy?”

Seungmin froze in his place, shooting Felix an apologetic glance across the table.  _ No tact at all. _ Felix laughed awkwardly, about to answer her question when-

“Because of course if you are wealthy then you may well be in want of a spouse!” 

The entire table, save Mrs Kim froze then, stuck in place with horror at her words, spoken with such audacity, presumption and carelessness. Whatever must Felix think of the family now? That they had simply invited him to chase after his wealth?

“I… well, yes, it would be nice,” Felix coughed awkwardly, staring solely into the plate in front of him. “But it is not on my list of immediate concerns. I will not marry for the purpose of sharing or expanding my wealth, by any means.”

“Well, I suppose the rich can always afford to marry for love,” Mrs Kim continued, waving a bread-filled hand through the air; fluffy crumbs flying everywhere, “but my poor, dear children unfortunately cannot.”

Mortification weighed down on every particle of the air like lead, and Seungmin felt himself blush a bright crimson colour on Jeongin’s behalf. His brother must be feeling mortified right now, even more so than the rest of the table; it was no secret that he and Felix were already assumed to like each other, and Mrs Kim’s words seemed to only fortify a suspicion of pushing her sons onto the nearest wealthy bachelors available.

“... And how is the rest of your party finding the area, Felix?” Changbin cut in before Mrs Kim could make the atmosphere any more awkward, and Felix smiled gratefully, launching into descriptions of the Evergreen household’s opinions of the manor and surrounding area. Seungmin tuned him out, focusing on gauging Jeongin’s carefully guarded expression across the table as he set about eating his food without choking on shame.

The rest of their meal passed with a slight undertone of awkwardness, only made even easier once Mrs Kim decided to retire upstairs once they had finished eating, due to a headache that had grown to be ' _ absolutely impossible to ignore' _ . Leaving the rest of the family downstairs, everybody heaved a silent sigh of relief as she vanished, taking with her the invasive questions pertaining Felix’s riches, and also the fear within her children of her saying anything more on the topic.

Mr Kim pulled out a pipe from the confines of his jacket, and beckoned a servant forth to light it. “Mr Lee, would you like a pipe too?”

“I thank you, no,” Felix replied, “I do not smoke, although I understand that it is the trend to do so.”

“None of my sons do either, absurdly,” Mr Kim pondered aloud, taking in a huge lungful of the stuff before exhaling. Chan pulled a face through the smoke, making Seungmin laugh silently. “And what is it that you like to do, when not burdened with your work?”

“I do so enjoy riding on horseback, sir,” Felix began, “and fishing, too, when time allows it, although I am not often so fortunate to have hours at a time to spend sitting at a lakeside.”

“We have a decent lake here, in our garden,” Mr Kim said, “and I beg that you will come and fish in it whenever you should find yourself with some spare time for the sport. Do you care for fencing, at all?”

“I do indeed, sir!” Felix beamed. “Back home I dedicated time to fencing weekly. I quite enjoy the sport, and have trained for a good few years now; I flatter myself to have been trained by the very best.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Seungmin glimpsed Jeongin covering his mouth with a handkerchief, just for a moment. He grinned, and covered it up with a cough; no doubt Jeongin was trying to hide a reaction at his personal attraction to people who fence; and indeed, the image of Felix wielding a sword was a powerful one to everybody seated at the table.

Jeongin caught Seungmin’s glance, and aimed a kick at him beneath the table.

Judging by the sudden pain flashing through Jisung’s features, and the way his head whipped around as if to catch the culprit red-handed, Jeongin had kicked out in entirely the wrong direction through his embarrassment. Seungmin coughed again, louder, so as to conceal the bubble of laughter that threatened to consume him whole.

“I was wondering, if it is not inappropriate to ask, if Jeongin would like to accompany me on a walk into town in two days’ time?” 

“I should have no objection,” Mr Kim leaned back into his seat jovially, “so long as Jeongin hasn’t.”

“I should like that very much,” Jeongin finally looked back up and met Felix’s eyes across the table, eyes curved into happy crescents. “Very much indeed.”

“Then it is settled, and I will not argue with that,” Mr Kim concluded, and then the conversation took a much more agreeable turn than the rest of the night and strayed into more comfortable, less intrusive nor pressuring questions, and the hours dwindled away in jovial company and interesting conversation.

Altogether, it was accounted for as a successful night indeed.

  
  


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“Felix has gone off to the Kim residence on Maplebrook for dinner,” Mrs Lee said that night, as the rest of the household took their places for dinner, and her announcement was met with several pleased hums of acknowledgement.

“He did mention so to me before,” Minho interjected, helping himself to a portion of food, “and seemed very excited about it, for that matter.”

“A friendly family indeed, do you think he will be in good hands?” Hyunjin asked, and Mrs Lee smiled.

“I should think so. From what I observed, the family was pleasantness itself, in spite of their... poor relations. I do hope that we may form amiable relations with them ourselves.”

“And that Kim boy, too,” Mrs Lee interjected, staking a slice of bread and buttering it. “His beauty is spoken of greatly, too. All of the brothers are.”

“They are indeed handsome,” Mr Lee agreed, “a sign of good breeding, athough their wealth speaks otherwise.”

“Minho did not seem to think as highly of one in particular, last I spoke to him,” Hyunjin snickered into his beef. “Or at least, what I heard from Felix, of his words. ‘ _ Not beautiful nor intriguing enough’ _ , he deemed Mr Seungmin.”

Mr Lee gasped. “Goodness! I hope to high heavens that he did not hear you say that.”

"Oh, but he did, father," Hyunjin said before Minho could defend himself, and Minho felt a strange sense of deja vu, having just had this same discussion over breakfast.

“I did not mean it as such,” Minho tried to save himself, chewing fast through his food to get a word in before anybody else should choose to join in. “I was, I will admit, a little flustered from the new people and surroundings. He is handsome, too, and if the circumstances had been different I should have liked to know him better.”

“He says that now,” Hyunjin sighed despairingly. “Well, dear brother, I do hope that in the future you shall get such a chance presented to you. God willing we will be seeing more of the Kim family through our Felix regardless; this may also be fate leading you to your happy future as well.”

“Let us not get ahead of ourselves,” Minho replied, but there was no bite to his words, nor his smile, as he picked up his eating utensils once more to eat, previous hostility upon his insulting Seungmin once again forgotten by the table as they sank back into good conversation for the evening.

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“My dears, do come into the drawing-room at once! We have received a letter from Mr Williams and I should like for you all to hear of it immediately,” Mrs Kim called the following week as her sons made their way downstairs for breakfast. Chan and Seungmin caught each other’s eyes and shrugged in confusion; it must be a piece of news indeed if it called for postponing the most important meal of the day (in Jisung’s opinion)! 

“Mr Williams, our esteemed cousin?” Jeongin asked, using a fist to rub the sleep out of his eyes with force, struggling to blink himself awake properly. 

“Indeed; he sends word of coming to visit next week, and plans to stay for a day more than a fortnight. It says here in his letter that he will be bringing two young ladies with him, too, although he states no relations to them specifically.”

“Two new acquaintances in our household, and Mr Williams as well! I do wonder who these ladies may be; the reason behind his mysteriousness in this matter could have been revealed quite easily had he bothered with any specifics,” Changbin complained. “I should like to know if we are closely related or if Mr Williams is simply wanting to bring friends with him, for whatever reason he may have!”

“Perhaps they are your age, boys, in which case you should all be on your best behaviour in case one of them is in expectation of an offer! Apart from you, Jeongin, dear; you must keep your heart open for Mr Felix, of course,” Mrs Kim emphasised, taking Jeongin’s hand in her own and patting it. Jeongin merely nodded, flushing slightly. None of his brothers had forgotten the events of last night, nor the heart-eyes Felix had not failed to hide as he had glanced many a time across the table at their youngest. It had truly been a sight to see.

“Indeed, I daresay he is already quite dangerously likely to be in love with you, dear Jeongin,” Chan said dramatically, raising a hand to Jeongin’s head as if he had a fever to check upon. Jeongin scowled and swatted his hand away, stepping back.

“Love is a very strong word, Chan; if you must tease me then at least use the word ‘like’.”

“Love has no such allotted time period,” Jisung chimed in, gazing dreamily out of the window. “I should even go as far as to say that I believe in love at first sight.”

“But I do not, and you will respect that as such in your words regarding myself and Felix,” Jeongin begged, and Jisung laughed, ruffling Jeongin’s hair with one hand as he leant across the couch to do so.

“Of course I will.”

“Boys, boys! I was looking out into the garden and observed that our lake is frozen over quite thickly,” said Mr Kim, walking into the room and joining the general hubbub. “I thought that I should tell you all, as I remember your unified love for skating yesterwinter.”

At once the boys’ eyes lit up in unison, for they had indeed been waiting all these months together for their lake to freeze over enough for ice skating to commence once more. Immediately they rushed out of the drawing-room, previous excitement forgotten and replaced with the childlike glee and anticipation of winter activities, and raced upstairs to retrieve their skates from their wardrobes.

“Another year gone by; all grown up and yet still so innocent and childlike in their delight in sports,” Mr Kim observed, sitting down next to Mrs Kim and placing a hand over hers. “May their happiness never fade with age.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed, thank you so much for reading! Next chapter coming soon <3


	3. chapter three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Mr Williams has made us a very generous offer, Jisung,” Mrs Kim said, “and has been sent here by his master in order to marry off one of the girls to our family. He has singled you out as the future companion of one of them, and you are welcome to choose which one as you please!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back! as it's been a week since my last update, here's a lil recap for anyone who needs it: last chapter ended on the impending arrival of Mr Williams, a family friend of the Kim's. During chapter two, Felix came over to the Kim house for tea, and has been sending Jeongin courting-gifts such as flowers and the like. Today we'll be meeting Mr Williams and his two companions and witnessing some [coughs] drama!!   
> happy reading <3

All at once the week passed quickly, and before anybody felt that they knew of the time passing so quickly, the day had arrived wherein Mr Williams and his companions were due to arrive.

“I wonder what he is like,” Jeongin mused aloud, as he sat with Chan in the gardens as they awaited Mr Williams’s arrival, “for I do not think that I have ever met him.”

“I confess that I do not have much recollection of him either,” Chan admitted, “for I have met him only once, when I was very young; past infancy. Alas, we shall discover within the hour his character and demeanour, I’ll wager!”

It was then that the sound of a carriage could be heard outside, and before any more conversation could be held between the two brothers, Changbin ran outside on eager feet to inform his brothers of what their ears had already confirmed; Seungmin having taken the opposite route to run into the front gardens instead, so that he may glimpse the infamous Mr Williams before any of his brothers.

What he saw was admittedly something of a disappointment and anticlimax; Mr Williams was of short stature, and his face, too, was nothing striking. He wore brown hair cut close to his head, and a jacket that was out of fashion by at least a few years, worn and tattered. From within the carriage he arrived Seungmin could not glimpse his companions for the life of him, and so he ran back into his home to receive his family’s new guests from the front door, as his mother and father were doing. On his way he ran into the rest of his brothers, making their way in from the back gardens.

“Hello, hello all!” Mr Williams exclaimed as he exited the carriage, the first of three travellers: his two companions, of whom each Kim son had been so eager to meet, seemed about their age too, and were admittedly very beautiful: one had brown hair, which she wore long and braided down her back, and the other, who looked slightly younger, had golden hair elegantly done up and away from her face.

“Greetings, Mr Williams. I trust that your journey here was amiable?” Mrs Kim greeted him with a kiss to the cheek before stepping aside to let Mr Williams shake Mr Kim’s hand. In doing so, she turned to his companions, who were yet to speak. “And these must be your companions!”

“Miss Yeji and Miss Vivi, my wonderful hostess; they are the daughters of my esteemed master,” Mr Williams introduced. “And these: your sons! I have only met one these three-and-twenty years since; how you have grown into such a wonderful young man!”

“I confess myself astounded that you could single me out from my brothers after so long apart, Mr Williams,” Chan said warmly as he shook Mr Williams’ hand. “Welcome to our home.”

“I do believe that I am waiting for an introduction to the rest of your worthy sons, Mr Kim,” Mr Williams insisted suddenly, and Seungmin almost felt as if he had to take a step back from the elder man’s intensity, fiery and full-on.

“Of course. Chan, my eldest, whom you have already met; Changbin, my second eldest, and then Jisung, Seungmin, and Jeongin, who is our youngest.”

“So many names! Do not hold me in low esteem if I am to get any mixed up, or forgotten, on this first day of our residence here,” Mr Williams smiled, but to the boys it seemed all teeth and no genuine regard. 

Silence hung in their air for a thick moment or two, before Mrs Kim sprung back into action, full of motherly fussing and flutterings. “Let us lead you to your rooms, then. I do hope it is acceptable to the young ladies that they shall be sharing a room whilst you are here; there is hardly space otherwise.” 

Her voice trailed off as the new party walked further into the house, and as the doors closed shut behind them, each brother let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Mr Williams seems suspicious, in some way, I feel,” Jisung said in rather a small voice, looking at the ground. “I do confess to have felt father uncomfortable at the way he stared and smiled so.”

“Indeed, he was rather full-on,” Chan agreed, “but he may be a good man, and might improve upon closer acquaintance.”

“I do hope so, for I fear I will not last the entire fortnight if he does not,” Seungmin teased, and instantly the tension in the air dissipated as everyone laughed in good humour.

“Well, I know that I should not feel half as scared of him when we have dear Seungmin here to teaze Mr Williams with educated words and subtle remarks that will surely go over his head,” Changbin announced, and Chan pretended to put a muzzle onto him, as one would do to a particularly violent dog.

“Do not give him ideas. We are to remain civil, and pleasant towards our guests.”

“Not if they do anything undeserving of our civility, we do not!” Jeongin sang, skipping back towards the front door. “After all, respect is only given where deserved.” And with that, he flung open the doors, and disregarding the social order of whom should enter first, he waltzed back into the house without another word.

“You-” Chan said, and then Changbin ran in after their youngest, alight with mischief as he took the chance that was presented. One by one, every younger brother filtered back into the house after sending Chan varying looks of rascality, watching as their eldest brother dissolved into a pit of amusement and despair at the show of fond disrespect before he, too, followed into the house, the last of them all.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

It took but one day for the guests of the Kim residence to settle in fully, unpacking their clothes and settling into the grounds, but upon closer acquaintance each brother had found out of their own accord that the company of both Miss Vivi and Miss Yeji were indeed very pleasant. Jisung in particular found himself forming a close bond with the two young ladies very fast indeed, and Changbin, too, already had plans of walking with them into town, where he hoped to introduce them to any of his friends that they may run into on the journey, or upon reaching their intended destination. There was certainly no known romantic attraction on the boys’ behalf by any means, but that was of little matter or priority to them at all on the first day of their acquaintence.

The same sentiment, however, could not be said on the behalf of one Mr Williams, and as one day turned into five, Seungmin could confidently say that he was the most uncomfortable, self-absorbed being that he had ever had the displeasure of knowing.

Chan, on the other hand, was much more bearing of the man, and argued that the man was simply socially challenged, to which Seungmin snorted and shook his head. Seungmin considered  _ himself _ a little socially challenged, in that he found it hard to converse with strangers until closer friendships had formed, but he learned to push through it and did not stare  _ nearly _ as much as Mr Williams, nor did he make such inappropriate nor demeaning comments all the time! Indeed, there was a gaping difference between the lacking area of social expertise and plain incompetence and perversity.

Regardless, the next day it became a solid plan for the entire household, save the servants and Mr Kim, to take a walk into town, and familiarise Mr Williams and the young ladies with the surrounding area. This was an event that excited Jisung in particular a great deal, for he did so love to take a stroll into the main town and greet the people he felt particularly intimate towards, and there was always a new chance to spot newcomers and interesting books in shop-windows and the like. 

Although the plan did originally include Mr Williams, the man in question (to everybody’s secret pleasure and relief) had received two letters in simultaneous succession, one having been misdirected at first, and from no less than his master; Misses Yeji and Vivi’s father of course, and had so chosen to sit at home instead and write back immediately, in case the letters were of due importance and swift action.

“I do wonder if the Lee family have ever taken it upon them to have a walk into town themselves,” Changbin wondered aloud as they walked over the bridge connecting their neighbourhood to the bustling town life, “or if they would think it too below them to come. Perhaps they have servants who come into town  _ for _ them, and buy everything they need without them having to take the liberty of getting mud on their clothes.”

“A little mud never hurt anyone,” Seungmin replied, and as if to prove his point, jumped high into the air, bringing his feet back down into the mud with force as he landed. The action send mud flying in every conceivable direction, and a good few others in the group got splattered with the filth in the process, but to them it was of little matter; even Vivi, whose lovely dress-fabric was now muddied and dirty, simply laughed it off and performed a little jump of her own to show her lack of care for it. 

“A merry party we are, indeed,” Jeongin laughed at the sight, having been out of the radius in which both leaps had sent mud flying into. “Almost as if the country dirt that surrounds us is infused with good humour.”

“We are simply immune to the snobbery and airs which prevent those in higher society of truly immersing themselves in nature,” Yeji said, and picked a leaf off a nearby bush to twirl between her fingers as she walked. 

Town was full and busy indeed today; a new supply of seasonal vegetables and fruit had finally been installed in the nearby greengrocer’s and so servants and families alike had flocked to buy them for their own kitchens and meals before it was too late, and they would have to wait another fortnight for the next delivery. 

“I shall join the crowd in the greengrocer’s myself, so go and entertain yourselves for a little while as I make the trip in place of our servants,” Mrs Kim instructed the party as she eyes the enlarging queue. “for if I should wait until we get back at Maplebrook to instruct our servants to go in our place, then the entire desired stock may be bought out already!”

“Then go, mother; we shall be here when you return,” Chan said kindly, and so Mrs Kim left at once, joining a friend of hers at the end of the shop line to talk to as they waited. The group in turn looked at each other, giddy with newfound freedom from parental figures and authority.

“Shall not we go to inspect the windows of the shops yester-street? I do remember walking by one building in particular that seemed rich in horse care,” Jisung suggested, eyes sparkling at the prospect of saddles and horseshoes.

“You forget that you have not a horse to take care of, Jisung,” Changbin laughed, but the group turned to visit the shop anyway, obliged by Jisung’s wishes that had been expressed so passionately.

“I care nothing for such callouts! If I may be allowed to gaze upon each particular horse product and asset then I might, for a moment, allow myself to believe that I could one day be in ownership of such an animal. To think of all the days I should spend riding among the grassy hills…” 

Vivi laughed, and linked her arm with Jisung’s as they walked. “And who is to say that you will not, in due time, get one? Life is ample and full of surprises; have faith.”

“Heavens above - talk of the devil and he shall appear; are not those the Lee brethren, standing right over there?” Jeongin stopped in his tracks, mind wholly wiped of his previous conversation to which he was about to contribute, as he looked in the direction a few doors down from the shop of which Jisung had been walking towards. 

Indeed it was the Lee’s, and all three brethren stood proudly in a shop doorway, conversing and completely ignorant to the fact that the Kim family, plus their additions, stood just a mere handful of away from them. The unanswered question of whether the entourage should go and greet the brethren hovered in the air over everyone’s heads, but before anybody could verbalise their questions and have them answered, Mr Hyunjin’s head snapped up and just happened to glimpse the Kims in his quick surveillance of the street. He lifted his hand in a wave of acknowledgement, and upon some unintelligible and assumed explanation to his brother and friend, he and his companions began to walk towards the bigger group of the two.

“Good day!” Hyunjin addressed, nodding his head low in greeting. “What a wonderful coincidence; our Felix was just talking about your family! And who, may I ask, are your friends?”

“It is good to see you again so soon! These are our family friends, Miss Vivi and Miss Yeji,” Chan introduced, and the two ladies curtsied swiftly in return. 

“Well, now that we are all here at once, I must suggest our groups merging and taking a stroll together? I should so enjoy it if we could,” Felix said, eyes sparkling as he looked particularly at Jeongin; a feat that nobody in the Kims’ group failed to notice. 

Changbin vocalised that yes, they should love to, and Felix wasted no time in stepping forward and offering his arm to Jeongin, which was taken with a small smile and a pretty pink flush settling on the youngest Kim brother’s cheeks. 

Hyunjin settled himself within the general vicinity of Changbin, Jisung and Vivi, whilst Yeji and Chan paired up in conversation too, leaving Seungmin alone and unattended. At first it was something that he thought nothing of; he was perfectly happy to sit back and simply listen to what his friends had to say for once, but after a minute he realised that there was indeed one more man who had been left to his own devices: a certain Lee Minho. 

Lord, pray that he would not have to make conversation with him for a third time after the first two disastrous events.

... Alas, Seungmin was in possession of no such luck today.

“Do you walk into town often?” Minho asked quietly, falling into step beside Seungmin, and Seungmin groaned inwardly, not particularly in the mood to be civil towards someone who had caused him such grievous annoyance thus far. However, he was nothing if not exceedingly polite in times like these, and, thinking that Minho may be trying to offer an olive branch of sorts, humoured the other man.

“We do indeed, sir. My family is quite fond of the fresh air.”

“So you have demonstrated,” Minho said, so quietly that Seungmin thought that perhaps he was not meant to hear it. 

“And you do not? It is not too cold for your taste today?”

Minho stumbled just slightly, the movement almost Imperceptible but still just noticeable to Seungmin, and he hid a secret smile of strange triumph at his effect on the other, stemming from victory over the person who had since made him feel almost powerless, and vexed.

“Too cold for sitting among the frost and reading perhaps, but for walking, it is bearable.”

Seungmin could only find it within himself to hum, and although no more words were exchanged between the two for the rest of their walk back into town, Seungmin did personally account for it as a win on his side, seeing as Minho had not said anything more to vex him; nor had he insulted him, nor challenged him, and so overall it was seen as a win on both sides.

Instead of using this time to, perhaps, force conversation between the two for the sake of polite smalltalk, as Seungmin may have done in any other circumstance, he took this time to observe the rest of the party. Jeongin and Felix seemed cosy indeed; almost away in their own private bubble as they talked and talked, seeming almost completely unaware of anyone and everything around them. It was truly a sight to see; Seungmin’s little brother quite clearly taken with Felix, and to see the sentiment returned with such vivacity was indeed a happy sight.

“Your - ahem - your brother and my friend seem to be getting along well,” Minho observed intelligently, surprising Seungmin with breaking the (what Seungmin deemed as quite comfortable) silence between the two.

“Indeed they do; I am very happy for them.”

Again, the two fell back into silence, and instead of watching Jeongin and Felix from afar Seungmin let himself revel in momentary amazement at the fact that so far a good while had passed, with no event causing any negative emotion on Seungmin’s behalf having passed between himself and Mr Minho. Perhaps this was a case of the thrice time being lucky - but a report back to his brothers and Misses Yeji and Vivi laterwards would certainly end up analysing each word said, and he could perhaps reflect back on it after that with a different mindset. He could not think for the life of him that himself and Mr Minho would end up  _ getting on _ , of all things, but here Minho was: perfectly amiable, at least in the instances in which he chose to speak. 

Of course, he still held himself in that arrogantly proud way, but Seungmin supposed that was to be expected, when one is from such a rich lineage and of such a mighty inheritance. He may hold himself however he likes, with his riches. 

The group reached the centre town once more, and back in the hustle and bustle it was at once easier for Seungmin to let himself be distracted from his thoughts, keeping an eye out for any friends who may coincidentally be in the same area and could be persuaded to join their merry little group a while.

To his present relief and disappointment, for he knew not which one he felt more keenly, there was nobody else of intimate acquaintance to be seen, and so he was stuck with Mr Minho for a little longer; not that that mattered so much to him at present.

But when he looked to his left, he realised that in terms of his silent companion, he had been left alone without so much as a goodbye or notifying word. Minho was nowhere to be seen, and judging by the ongoing conversations of the rest of his group, nobody else had noticed. Seungmin turned around, eyes feeling dry due to the length of time he kept them open in an attempt to find wherever Minho had escaped off to at such short notice, but to no avail. 

“Strange,” he said to himself, and immediately turned back into Jisung’s leading conversation with Hyunjin, Changbin and Vivi, moving to stand beside Changbin in lieu of looking for Mr Minho any longer. If he wanted to vanish without a trace from their company, then Seungmin would not be the person to prevent him from doing so.

Nothing of his disappearance was mentioned to the group thereafter, both for the reason of their company being currently mixed, and Seungmin did not want to make their business everybody else’s, but also because Mrs Kim had finally bought her vegetables from the greengrocer’s and had come bustling back towards the group, loudly fawning over the appearances of Felix and Hyunjin and expressing how happy she was to be in their company again so unexpectedly.

So coincidentally, much like Seungmin’s last meeting with Mr Minho, the event became a distant thought in his mind, and earned no further introspection from the younger man.

  
*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*   
  


Two more days passed in vigour, and Seungmin had soon learned from his brethren after their group walk into town that Mr Felix had been very accommodating  _ indeed _ to Jeongin’s comfort even as they merely walked; asking here and there whether he was feeling too hot or cold, and how he may assist the younger in any way. 

“It was a sweet display indeed,” Chan had commented fondly as the five brothers together gathered their hunting equipment and walked outside to find pheasants to shoot at, “I daresay Mr Felix is quite infatuated with our young Jeonginnie.”

“And are you, Jeongin, showing him the same attentiveness?” Jisung enquired, aiming for the sky and shooting with a loud bang, missing the bird he had his eyes trained on and then frowning in disappointment.

“I think he does wholly return it, but whether he  _ shows _ it is a little more questionable,” Changbin answered for his brother after a small laugh at Jisung’s misfortune. “Jeongin is a little more reserved than Felix, I have noticed - although it pays a great deal of compliment to their dynamics as a whole. They suit each other in that way as well as many.”

Jeongin scowled a little, but there was no denying the playfulness in his demeanour, nor the twinkle in his eyes that gave away his true emotions by a far shot. Seungmin wanted to reach out and pat his head as if he were a small animal of sorts, fond and loving.

“Whether I am as verbally infatuated as he, it matters not. I should hope I am showcasing it enough with simple implications and body languages. Does one not simply need to give off energy notifying the other person of your affections? I should hope that my energy matches his, at the very least.”

_ Energy _ . Seungmin let out a small chuckle.

“Your demeanour is indeed one of affection, but can you be sure that Felix can read it as well as we can? We only know so much of your regard for him due to our ample conversations regarding the subject, and much of that has been initiated by one of us that is not yourself, Jeongin,” Jisung pointed out, and rightly so.

Pheasants forgotten momentarily, Chan set down his gun and leaned his weight onto one leg as he watched the conversation pan out, keeping a trained eye on each of his brothers lest the conversation take an emotional turn.

“... I should hope that if our union is truly right for both of us, then Felix himself will feel it too,” Jeongin admitted, quietly. “I have always had a gut feeling… I want him to feel it too, without my having to step too far out of my own comfort zone for him to realise the violence of my affections. Do… do you, brothers, feel that I should be more verbal?”

“Oh, not at all,” Seungmin cut in. “If he cannot tell your affections for him by now then he is a fool.”

“Then I hope that things continue to move on as well as they have been,” Jeongin concluded, and at the end of his words his brothers stood back to attention, aiming for more pheasants. “And if they are not, then let it be so.”

“I do think that it is meant to be,” Jisung whispered, and all of his brothers heard him. “I have never seen a match more meant for one another.”

  
*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*   
  


“I have observed,” Mr Williams proclaimed that night, breaking the comfortable silence everybody had fallen into as they saw to their nightly activities in the drawing-room, “that food tastes the best when consumed in an airy, spacious room full of delicacies. Perhaps you would enjoy  _ your _ food a lot more, Mrs Kim, if you were to consume it elsewhere, by those means?”

Jisung choked on his food, and Chan reached over to pat him on the back as cutlery clattered to the table in shock. Vivi covered her mouth with her handkerchief instantly, and the look on Mrs Kim’s face may well have been priceless if the subject had not been so offending.

“Of course, I am used to much more grandeur in my day to day life, as are the girls per their Father,” Mr Williams continued, completely oblivious and unaware to the change in atmosphere regarding his words. “I am so blessed to be living with them, under his apprenticeship, and have a share in his wealth through my living there.”

“Mr Williams,” Yeji cut in before he had the next chance to draw breath, undoubtedly for his next speech, “I am  _ sure _ you do not mean to offend Mr and Mrs Kim by insinuating that their living residence is small and unsatisfactory. I, for one, find this house to be very comforting; a homely presence that is altogether incredibly pleasing.”

At Yeji’s words Mrs Kim visibly took in a deep breath, able to compose herself with some sympathetic words although she still waited impatiently for Mr Williams’ apologies. The man in question looked up sharply, and began waving his hands in the air frantically, as if he could undo his offence.

“Oh, my dear woman! Rest assured, I meant no ill will. I was merely giving  _ constructive criticism _ of how you may improve your home life in the future, based on my own greater experience.”

Of all ways to insult a house and home, this was indeed the worst Mrs Kim had ever heard, let alone experienced.

Desperate to maintain a calm facade so as to not damage the family’s relationship with Mr Williams, Mrs Kim forced down her obvious hurt and anger, and picked up her eating utensils again, choosing to nod in response before filling her mouth with food again, lest unwanted words make their way out unbidden.

Each youth’s eyes were immediately cast down to their respective plates, and it was safe to say that following such an unusual and unprecedented event, the rest of the meal passed in rather uncomfortable silence. It felt as though each bite and breath stuck to everyone as they moved, ensnaring them in awkwardness, and Seungmin safely deemed it as something he would rather never experience again.

“I was wondering, Mrs Kim, if I may request an audience with you in private after our meal,” Mr Williams spoke up again, breaking the terse silence and replacing it with sudden anticipation, and even  _ fear _ on Jisung’s behalf. He knew not why he felt that, of all things, but a bad feeling settled within his stomach at the glance Mr Williams sent him in particular over the tableware, and avoided his gaze obstinately. Changbin, noticing his sudden change in demeanour, hooked his ankle around his younger brother’s beneath the table in an attempt of subtle comfort.

“Why, of course,” Mrs Kim agreed, although her tone was still unforgiving. Seungmin wondered what on earth Mr Williams would have to say to their mother that he could not simply say aloud now; why should he specifically and publicly request privacy when he could have chosen to be subtle?

It did not go unnoticed by Seungmin then, nor Chan, that Jisung did not touch his food for the rest of the meal, and that alone was enough to put Seungmin off his own, too. Across the table, in between Yeji and Vivi, Jeongin seemed the least bothered, but perhaps that was due to his tendency to daydream during boring meals that had granted him the privilege of missing some of the tension. Perhaps, on the other hand, it was simply his uncanny ability to hide what he was truly feeling at all times. Seungmin truly could not tell.

“We may take our leave now, Mr Williams,” Mrs Kim ordered once the plates had been cleared away, and as the door was pulled shut behind the two, the table erupted into chaos and interactions, questions spilling from everybody’s mouth, mostly directed at Mr Kim, who bore the brunt of them very well indeed, with experienced airs and patience.

“No indeed, I know not of Mr Williams’ intentions, nor what he means to ask your mother, boys,” he concluded after a great many questions. “I might ask what you girls know, however, as you did travel all the way here with him, and are the daughters of Mr Williams’ master.”

“Alas, we know not either,” said Yeji with regret, shaking her head, “for if we did then we could have aided in clearing up all of your questions much sooner. Perhaps we could have answered Mr Williams directly, instead of his having to take matters up with your wife.”

From afar, eager footsteps could be heard approaching from behind the thick mahogany of which the adjoining door was made, and so everybody at the table straightened at once, adopting airs of innocence that would give away nothing of their present conversation.

The door was flung open, and Mrs Kim stood in the middle of its frame, eyes alight with life and something akin to fire.

“I do think that it is time to retire to our bedchambers now, for it has been a tiring day indeed,” she announced loudly, and everyone felt immensely confused, for today had been the least tiring since Mr Williams and his entourage had arrived!

“Oh, I am feeling quite energised tonight, mother. I should be quite happy to sit up for a while and converse,” Chan retaliated, and was supported with agreeable nods from those sat around the table. Mr Williams was nowhere to be seen.

“Ah, my dear, but we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow, and I feel that some of us in particular will need our energy,” she said, and her eyes locked straight onto Jisung as she said so. Unbidden, he shrunk into his seat. 

Everybody else appeared to notice the intrusion too, and Changbin shuffled just a little closer towards the table, although he could not reach Jisung as per the seating arrangements, save for the ankle that he still had hooked around his brother's; but one tighter tug would have pulled Jisung clean away from his seat! 

“Bedtime,” Mrs Kim sung, and the note of ferocity in her voice was enough to frighten everybody into obeying immediately, save for Mr Kim, who stayed sitting at the forefront of the table, sucking on his pipe and reading his paper as if nothing had taken place since his last words were spoken. Each of his sons dearly wished they had that same ability to ignore the strange turn the night had taken. 

The subsequent irony was that nobody in the Kim household slept very well that night.

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It was during breakfast that the so-dubbed  _ event _ happened, much to everybody’s simultaneous chagrin and morbid curiosity. Being the last person downstairs that morning - which was incredibly rare in itself - Mrs Kim entered the breakfast parlour only to beckon Jisung out of the room with a curled finger and slightly maniacal grin. Seungmin’s blood felt as if it would curdle at the way Jisung gulped in fear before leaving the room with their mother.

It was out of character, too, that Mrs Kim should act so. Spare no mind; she was excitable at the best of times, for better or for worse, but her almost demented enthusiasm that had stemmed from Mr William’s mystery words last night was something almost animal-like, and something that none of her sons, nor husband, had ever witnessed before. 

In the next room across, Mrs Kim had taken a hold of Jisung by his shoulders and was speaking to him in a low voice as Mr Williams hovered by the window, watching intently.

“Mr Williams has made us a very generous offer, Jisung,” Mrs Kim said, “and has been sent here by his master in order to marry off one of the girls to our family. He has singled  _ you _ out as the future companion of one of them, and you are welcome to choose which one as you please!”

Jisung could only find it within himself to gape, and as his eyes snapped to the stout figure of Mr Williams smiling devilishly at him from the other side of the room, he could only feel an all-encompassing, sick feeling of dread consuming him whole. Right now, he was expected to make a decision that would impact the rest of his life, with no forewarning or anything else? It was frightful.

“Why did I not get told sooner?” he asked, fighting hard to keep his voice steady. “And why me? Why so soon? Must I give an answer this instant?”

“You must answer today, dear Jisung, for Mr Williams and the girls will be leaving within a few days, and one of them shall be betrothed to you, too! In marrying one of them, Mr Williams’ master - their father - will compensate accordingly, and the wealth you will receive via their inheritance shall keep our family in good fortunes for years to come.”

“So you consider my marriage a business deal, mother?” Jisung asked shortly, his eyes lighting up with rage. “You have heard my talking with my brothers about how I should only ever like to marry for love, and given our poorer status you have allowed it ‘till now. But at the first chance of wealth you are happy to pass me on to somebody I am not sure I could ever truly love, all for some extra luxury?”

“Indeed she does not, Jisung,” Mr Williams cut in smoothly, “In fact, the reason for my coming here initially was simply because my master had bid me to do so, and come back with a suitable spouse for one of his daughters. I have seen how well you have taken to them both, and so it only makes sense that the responsibility should fall to you.”

“Responsibility?” Jisung was astounded, and completely unaware of his raised voice prompting eager listeners from the breakfast parlour. “It is not my responsibility to raise the wealth of this family through a loveless, abrupt and forced marriage. You have always agreed that we should marry only to secure our happiness, but now that the Lee family have moved into the area, the only thing occupying your mind has been wealth and riches gained solely through matrimony!”

“Jisung, I beg you to consider,” Mr Williams asked, once again interrupting the young man from speaking.

“I will  _ not _ . Whilst I have bonded well with Miss Yeji and Miss Vivi, we all agree that there is nothing romantic between any of us, and I will not let wealth dictate my marrying one of them for my family who can live perfectly well without. If and when I marry, it will be for love and love alone.”

“ _ Jisung _ ,” Mrs Kim sounded wholly  _ furious _ , “you will propose to either Miss Yeji or Miss Vivi  _ today _ , or else there will be  _ unspeakable consequences _ !”

“Consequences that are wholly worse than me being forced to make the biggest decision of my life all at once, and in doing so not only risk my own happiness, but either Miss Yeji or Miss Vivi's lifelong happiness too?”

The door opened, revealing everybody from the breakfast having gathered in the doorway, and whether they meant to give away their eavesdropping by opening the thin wooden frame, nobody could tell. 

“Everyone!” Mrs Kim sputtered, thoroughly outraged as she flailed her hands about the air in anger, one of them narrowly missing Jisung as he ducked low to dodge the blow. “Get back to your seats at once and eat your breakfast, I beg of you! What goes on in this room here is none of your business but our own!”

“I fear you are mistaken, mother, for anything concerning Jisung’s reluctance automatically becomes a concern of our own,” Changbin levelled with a hard stare that must have taken a bout of bravery to muster; Changbin in particular having learned firsthand the consequence of talking back to his mother within his early childhood.

“Well, now that you are all here you may aid me in persuading Jisung to make an offer to one of our young ladies,” Mr Williams said, as if Yeji and Vivi were not standing at the doorway with everybody else. “He must. You must take our side, too.”

“We most certainly do not, and will not, do anything of the sort,” Seungmin said, stepping to the forefront of the group. “Jisung is our brother; Yeji and Vivi are our new friends. We will not take the side of a man instructed by his master to do his dirty work for him to force anyone within our care into something they are unwilling or reluctant to partake in.”

Vivi chose that moment to speak for herself as she stood up a little straighter, pushing her shoulders back. “You forget yourself, Mr Williams; you fail to recognise that neither myself nor Yeji have made any answer to this animal way of which you have treated our marital lives. When have we ever given consent for you to marry us off without our knowledge or consent? We are people too, you know.”

It was then that Chan spoke up, and the force behind his words, not to mention the words themselves, were ones that shocked everybody who heard it to the core.

“Mother, please do not force Jisung to marry before he is ready… if it must be done, given only that it is also first run by Yeji or Vivi, let me take his place, instead.”

Gasps resounded, the loudest of them all from Jisung, and multiple of his brothers rushed to Chan at once.

“Channie, it is quite alright,” Jisung said, pushing his hair back from his forehead with a newly hardened resolve. If one of his brothers were to be engaged today, it would be himself, and nobody else; for as much as he argued for his own happiness in love and marriage, his own brothers were more important to him. “It was me who was signaled out particularly, and so the responsibility falls to me.”

“No, I will not let you,” Chan replied, and placed his hands on both of Jisung’s shoulders in an act of brotherly comfort. “I promise you that it will be of little consequence of me as it may have been to you. I am not getting any younger, and being the eldest, it should be my responsibility to marry before love to bring wealth to the family. Whoever I end up marrying, I am quite sure I will be able to love, for both Yeji and Vivi are very agreeable and pleasing - so long as they agree to this particular offer.”

The room fell silent again, and eight heads turned to look at the girls in question. 

“I must admit to have taken a particular liking to Miss Yeji especially,” Chan whispered, and his cheeks turned red as he forced his eyes back to the ground. “If she would have me, then this so-called responsibility should not feel as such at all.”

Even after Chan had spoken the room still stayed drenched in thick silence, and it almost seemed as if nobody would speak at all, until Mr Kim spoke up to break the silence as Yeji stared resolutely at her hands.

“Well, well, well. Never would I have thought to be losing my eldest son to matrimony so early this fine morning, or any of my sons, for that matter. But as long as it is of your own free will and choice, son, I shall certainly support you. What say you, Yeji?”

“I…” Yeji finally looked up, and her hand grabbed onto Vivi’s dress next to her for comfort. “Well, it is no secret that Chan and I have gotten along very well since our arrival here… I think that, given the chance, I could grow to love him.”

“Then it is arranged?” Mr Williams said, eyes wide. “You will return with me to your father, engaged to Chan of the Kim household?” 

Yeji took a deep breath, and finally looked up to meet Chan’s eyes.

“Yes. I accept.”

At once the room erupted into cheers and jubilation, the previous tension between Jisung, Mrs Kim and Mr Williams forgotten as everybody congratulated the newly engaged couple, steadfastly ignoring the way that they had only known each other just these nine-days past. Despite the quick nature of their engagement, both Chan and Yeji seemed happy indeed at these new events, and the rest of the day passed in light humour, and particular relief, on behalf of the young Jisung.

  
  


That night as the brothers lay in their respective beds; the three eldest in their own rooms whilst Seungmin and Jeongin shared a room, none other than regards for the new couple occupied their minds. To think, their eldest married before their youngest, after all - and considering the family’s circumstances, another advantageous marriage of sorts, too. 

Having been heavily surprised by Chan’s sudden confession of affections for Yeji, it was admittedly a day of shock as well as happiness for their eldest - but as long as Chan was as sure as he had assured everybody that he was an hour priorly, then none of his younger brothers could fault the match, and wished him a happy future, although it would be sad that he would consequently be the first to move out of the family home, much sooner than expected after no courtship before his engagement. 

However unexpected the sudden turn of events that the day had gifted everybody with, Jisung was perhaps feeling the strongest emotions, second to Chan and Yeji’s sudden surprise and joy. Laying back against his pillows as the silence of the night finally swallowed him whole, he closed his eyes and finally let the emotions of the day wash over him. 

Surprise. Shock. Burning, fiery panic, as he realised that he may not be able to spend the rest of his life with the person of his choosing…. followed by immense relief, so intense it was like a tidal wave hitting him whole, but ruined by the blood-sucking guilt when Chan had spoken up in his place; taking his place, succumbing to a fate that should have been Jisung’s.

And although this fate was much,  _ much _ more preferable for Chan than it ever could have been for Jisung, he still bore the guilt of not taking the place that he should have immediately obeyed upon hearing the first words of instruction from his mother and Mr Williams. To do his family’s duty, and bring them comfort and wealth in his marriage, instead of getting caught up in a fantasy that he knew was unobtainable… 

Because, although he would only admit it to himself, and hesitantly so, thus far, the only thing that had held him back from obeying this morning had not only been the thought of marrying for love, but marrying for one  _ specific _ kind of love.

The love that came attached to shoulder-length black hair, a strong build, and a piercing hazel gaze.

  
  


More specifically, the type of love that Jisung had silently begun to grow and nurture, for one singular man named Mr Hyunjin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter's conclusion: mr williams is an asshole and chan is <33 best boy 
> 
> what did you guys think of this chapter? I hope you liked it and that it lived up to your expectations!  
> new chapter coming soon - the 2min is about to get layered on THICK, as well as the progression of a certain subplot ;)) [coughs -- hyunsung] and also jeonglix!! but we already been knew abt them. 
> 
> please leave a comment if you enjoyed! they sustain and motivate me and let me know people are still following along <3 thank you so much for reading thus far!


	4. chapter four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Kim Seungmin, you must allow me to express my unfathomable love for you aloud... and let me beg for your hand in marriage. I am loathe to be part from you, and wish for us to be united in matrimony at the nearest possible occasion.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BUCKLE UP EVERYONE WE'RE GOING FOR A BUMPY RIDE

Winter turned to spring in a flurry of weekdays, wedding plans and preparations, and it was soon decided upon that Chan should marry Yeji the following autumn, giving the young couple a chance to at least get to know each other to an amiable extent before sealing a marital deal that would last for the rest of their lives, despite how likely it should be that they would be able to break their engagement if they so decided to do so.

“Marry in haste, repent at leisure,” Mrs Kim had said crudely one night, and the blatant disregard she shewed for her son’s lifelong happiness after a lifetime of claiming that she would fully support their love quests made Seungmin’s blood boil in his veins. 

“I received a letter last week from our cousins living in Discidium Bay asking if we would do them the honour of coming to stay a while,” Mr Kim walked into breakfast one morning holding a letter, half-opened from its envelope, in his hand as he sat down, “and I replied just a few days ago, having not thought of the proposition one of absolute urgency. We will be travelling to them in seven-days’ time, and will be staying there five weeks complete. It is a desirable place to live in the Springtime, is it not?”

“I wonder if it would be quite so desirable if it were not quite so grandiose,” Seungmin whispered to Jeongin, who laughed into the palm of his hand.

“Well, there’s a treat for you, boys: a holiday at the beach, and for five weeks complete, no less! What more could one ask for?” Mrs Kim gushed, and at once gave the order for the servants to begin preparations for their leave in advance. 

“I shall be glad to visit our family, for we have not seen them once these three years together,” Chan commented, and Changbin nodded in agreement. 

“Jisung -- oh, he is still asleep. I shall wake him and tell him the news at once,” Jeongin said, and got up from his seat at the breakfast table, which Changbin took it upon him to slide into the moment it was free, picking up eating where Jeongin left off with no traces of bother at the fact that he was eating from the same plate as his youngest brother. 

“I have found,” said he, around a mouth of eggs, “that food always tastes the best when it is graciously given to you by another.”

“ _ Given _ to you? I should as soon call you a prince,” Seungmin quipped, and Mr Kim laughed heartily over his newspaper at the two. 

“Jeongin very willingly gave up his seat for me, you saw it for yourself!”

“He got up to wake Jisung, and I’ll wager that upon his return he shall be very angry indeed,” Seungmin sing-songed, waving a forkful of his own eggs in Changbin’s face rudely. “I shall not be the first to save you when his wrath descends upon you, dear brother.”

“Nor I,” Chan laughed, “you have fallen into this trap and there you must stay, and let your fate pan out as you yourself have designed it.”

“I have no support in this family,” Changbin whined, taking another large mouthful of eggs before pushing away from the table and returning to his seat as footsteps began to be heard descending back downstairs. “but today, I will not risk my neck for some stolen eggs. Tomorrow, however, who knows?”

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As always the week passed quickly, and no sooner than Jeongin had written and sent a letter to the lee family informing them of their soon-to-be absence did Felix arrive on horseback, claiming that he must spend a few more hours in Jeongin’s presence before they were to be parted for the next month. 

“We leave tomorrow,” Jeongin informed him, as they walked leisurely around the grounds of Maplebrook, surrounded by the slight chill of spring stroking goosebumps onto their skin as delicate green buds began to bloom on the trees around them. “I am sorry that I did not tell you sooner.”

“It is of little matter, I assure you,” Felix was quick to comfort, “for it must have been so busy, making preparations to leave for so long a time! -- pray tell, where is it that you will be relocating to?”

“We will reside at Discidium Bay, with my grandparents.”

“Discidium! Why - that is not ten miles from my own parents’ grounds! Perhaps you have heard of Camellia estate?”

“I confess I have not.”

“It is right where I grew up! I say my parent’s estate - but I have inherited it now, after their passing. I prefer to travel with the Lee family rather than occupy it myself, as - well, it is so big, and living there with nobody to share it with seems rather a dull prospect.”

"I agree, it must feel empty without people to share it with... why do not you share it with your friends, instead? With friends and servants it should hardly feel lonely at all," Jeongin suggested, "and you could still live there, too."

"I would, if not the Lee's were so loving of their own estates themselves," Felix sighed heavily, "and indeed they are superior estates, and I do love living out my life with them! But when I am to marry, I should hope that I could live with my husband at Camellia, and there we can live out our life in comfort, surrounded with the sea and sand dunes in the next town across, and never want for anything."

A comfortable, yet loaded silence fell over the two then, and Jeongin had to fight hard to keep a deep blush at bay. It was no secret to anyone, least of all to themselves, that the two were well into the courting stage of their relationship by now, and Mrs Kim has mentioned almost nightly of her suspicions of Felix proposing within the next few months at the very most.

The implication of Felix wanting to settle down with his husband on his inherited estate, and share such a precious place with whoever he should marry - the implication that  _ Jeongin _ may well be that person who receives such honour and care, made the younger man weak at the knees.

And oh, how he hoped, how he wanted,  _ longed _ even, to share in that kind of life with Felix.

"Jeongin..." Felix stopped in his tracks suddenly, and pulled Jeongin around to face him, taking both of Jeongin's hands into his own, his grip warm and solid; a grounding presence. Jeongin felt his heart set alight at the expression on the other man's face; so open, so vulnerable and yet hopeful, and his lips parted in question, waiting for Felix to speak further.

"Jeongin, I know this may seem a little sudden in terms of the conversation topic change, but..."

Jeongin scarcely dared breathe. "But?" he prompted softly, when Felix trailed off, staring at the grass between their feet in hesitation.

"Jeongin, I lo-"

"Jeongin! Mr Felix!" Jisung yelled, racing across the grass towards the, waving both hands overhead. Both men jumped, shocked out of their reverie and private bubble at the sudden intrusion, and stepped apart, hands separating and feeling achingly empty afterwards.

"Oh, Mr Felix, I had no idea you had arrived! You never told us you were coming," Jisung smiled widely, seemingly blissfully unaware of the moment he had just interrupted so cruelly. "How fares you, and the rest of the Lee family?"

"We are all well, thank you Jisung," Felix smiled back, and chanced a glance back at Jeongin, who had yet to look away from his face, a look of robbed anticipation and disappointment written all over his features. At the sight of such sadness Felix was swift to act, and pushed his smile even wider onto his own face to draw one out of Jeongin. The attempt was well met, and he received the delight of seeing his loved one's face scrunch into a reluctant smile back, the latter unable to hold it back. Jisung withheld a smile of his own at the sight.

"Has Jeongin told you that we are to leave tomorrow, for an entire five weeks?" Jisung asked, and Felix nodded despairingly.

"Indeed he has, and I regret to acknowledge the fact. I shall miss your family dearly, you have provided me with much happiness during our short stay here thus far. Jeongin especially," Felix could not resist but add, and even Jisung could not contain his joy after that.

"Mr Felix has told me that his family estate resides not ten miles from Discidium," Jeongin disclosed, and Jisung gasped loudly.

"Well, then if you are ever in the area you must visit! I am sure our family would be more than happy to receive you, and if you do come, then you must bring your friends, too! I know not if Mr Minho and Mr Hyunjin have had the blessing of visiting the seaside towns of Discidium as of yet, but nevertheless we should all be such a merry party if we were to meet again there."

"A coincidence indeed: Jeongin had just suggested the idea to me a moment ago. Indeed I shall consider the possibility of travelling back to my inherited estate and staying there a while, if time and opportunity allows it."

Jeongin wondered if Jisung would leave, so that the delicate moment that had been so suddenly shattered between himself and Felix might have a change to bloom again, and Jeongin may hear those words that had been cut off mid-sentence... the selfsame words that he had longed to hear for weeks on end by now.

Alas, the opportunity never came, for it was then that the three were beckoned back into the Kim household by one of the servants, who had been sent by Mrs Kim, for goodness-knows what reason.

The business turned out to be not urgent by any means at all, and it only sought to irritate Jeongin further, for he had so hoped for more time to spend with Felix until they had to part for so long, unless he would come all the way back to his inherited estate for the sole purpose of visiting the Kims. Jeongin rendered that possibility near impossible: business always came first, and then duty, whether it be to responsibilities or the Lee family, and Jeongin doubted that a few days' journey down to Discidium would be anything of great importance to the man.

At long last Felix had to leave, and not a second had passed since their interruption in the grounds that had allowed them even a moment of alone time, in which they could have continued their conversation, and perhaps solid confessions. That was what Jeongin had hoped, and yet fate had ripped it away from him right as it had been in the palms of his hands.

But it was okay; it was truly fine. He believed that soon would come the perfect opportunity to carry on whatever they had left behind.

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"Seungmin, I do believe he was about to confess his love for me," Jeongin said into his hands that night, face pressed into his palms where the touch of Felix's own still remained, burned into his skin. "If not Jisung had come and interrupted, which was by no conscious means or fault of his own, I am certain he would have said he loved me."

"Jeongin, this is a huge event," Seungmin gasped, and Jeongin peeked out from behind his fingers, his frantic pacing of his bedroom ceasing for a moment. "Whatever the outcome of the day, I am happy for you. Indeed he would be a fool  _ not _ to love you; who in their right mind could not?"

"I do not know if he  _ were _ going to say that he loves me or not, that is the problem," Jeongin complained, and flopped down weightily onto the bed where Seungmin sat, cross-legged in his pyjamas, hair freshly washed. "I only saw the first syllable forming on his lips. What if it is simply my own wishful thinking, and I am to be disappointed in the future when it becomes known that Felix does not love me at all?"

Seungmin tutted, pushing a damp lock of Jeongin's hair away from his face as he studies his brother's side profile. "I think that you think too much, Jeongin. How could you be uncertain of his regard for you? It is as clear as day; a blind man would be a fool not to see it."

"That is simply your goodness speaking, Seungmin," Jeongin said, and climbed beneath his duvet, laying his head on his pillow smiling up at Seungmin from his cosy position. Seungmin took that as his cue to leave him to sleep, and arose from the bed at once, letting his brother sleep in preparation for their long journey in the next few days.

"It is  _ your _ goodness I speak of! I have no such goodness that could hold a candle to yours," Seungmin decides to say as he leaves, peeking back through the doorway one last time. "Sleep well. May you dream of your future with Felix!"

Jeongin laughed softly as the door closed behind Seungmin.

  
  


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The journey to Discidium took three days' time, full to bursting with nothing but horseback rides whilst Mrs Kim rode in the carriage, broken up with stops to eat and rest at night in local inns on their journey. At long last the Kims arrived at their grandparents' lodge, and were received with as much excitement as the elderly couple could muster as their servants bustled around their carriage and horses to collect the Kims' belongings and bring them inside.

Mrs Choi was a ruddy, shapely being of greying hair clipped close to her head and expensive wear, married to a Mr Choi, who was tall and thin, and often mistaken to be very cruel and disproving, although his grandchildren could vouch for a fact that he was indeed very kind and pleasing once one had the chance to know him properly. Yes, in their early youth each son had had their own individual shares of treats from both of their grandparents, who were from their mother's side, for their father had lost both of his own parents before Changbin had been born, and so all save Chan had never met them. Still, it was a great pleasure to meet their grandparents after so long, and Seungmin felt a rush of happiness surge through his veins like fire as he was finally met with the sight of his beloved grandparents, whom he had missed sorely when apart from.

"Oh, my dears, it is so good to see you again after so long! I do believe you have grown since last we saw you. Oh, come in, come in!" Mrs Choi beckoned, a smile making the laughter lines and crow's feet on her face even more amplified, but with an air of elderly kindness that only radiates safety, and the feeling of warmth, like the sun on one's face on a hot day outside. It was a smile that comforted all who saw it.

"You are very welcome," Mr Choi greeted, clapping each Kim son on his back as they got off their respective horses, and Jisung patted his own horse wistfully as she was led away to rest in the stables around the back of their grandparents' grounds. Having only the horses to pull their carriage, they had been lent horses for each man to ride on their journey down to Discidium, and Jisung had taken a great liking to his own horse. It was a sight indeed to see, him being so infatuated with the animal after longing for his own for so long, and it was of no doubt to anyone present that he would feel the creature's loss sorely once she was sent back to her home the next day.

"I trust that your journey down was not too tiring?" Mrs Choi asked as she bustled the family back inside, and a servant greeted them at the door to whisk away everybody's coats, hats, and Mrs Kim's gloves. "Indeed it was a long one. I admire your patience!"

"It was a very pleasant journey, mother," Mrs Kim assured her, "although I cannot be sure that it was the same for the men. The carriage-ride was smooth, but I could hear them talking outside about the mud, and uneven terrain! But they bore it so well. Oh - and our Chan is engaged now, if you had not heard already!

"Engaged? Oh, congratulations, Chan," Mr Choi clapped him on the back in triumph, and Chan smiled easily. "And who is the lucky spouse-to-be?"

"Her name is Hwang Yeji, and we are to be wed in autumn," Chan returned, and Mrs Choi stepped forward to kiss him on both cheeks.

"However nontraditional it may be, I should hope to travel down and witness it myself," said she, glowing red with happiness for her eldest grandson. "I shan't be contented with being sent a slice of your wedding-cake, oh no indeed! We shall grace your town and home with our presence, if you will have us."

"Well, of course you shall come!" Mrs Kim agreed at once. "I would not have my mother miss my son's wedding for the world, even if you do live so far away."

"Shall I take the young men up to their rooms and chambers, ma'am?" the servant who had met the group at the door asked, and Mrs Choi nodded instantly.

"Of course. Boys, go with her, and your belongings will be brought up directly."

It was arranged that each boy would have their own bedroom here too, for there was certainly no shortage of room at Choi Lodge. It delighted them greatly, however, to find that their rooms were all in the same area of the house, and not one of the five was separated from the other: a great device to slip into each other's quarters at night for sleep-deprived conversation and discussions.

Seungmin had a feeling that he might need some of those, somehow.

Once settled, watered and fed, it was decided that the family should take a walk into town, where one could see the sea from.

"It is one of the world's most beautiful possessions," Jisung breathed into the sea air as they finally happened across their first view of the sea, crashing against the rocks from a distance as the sun set overhead. It was wonderfully picturesque, and whilst Seungmin might have teazed Jisung for his breathlessness in another situation, he honestly felt the same as his brother; robbed of breath from the delicate yet powerful force of water and foam running its repetitive course against sand, rocks and shells.

"Might we go down and walk among the rocks?" Changbin asked, but Mr Choi shook his head with regret.

"Not this time, boy. The tide is coming in - and, if taken by surprise, will sweep you clean off your feet if you are not careful. If you should so like, I shall tell you the best times to visit the beach when the tide is out, or on its way out, tomorrow as we eat breakfast. For now, you may admire from a distance as nature takes its destructive course."

_ Destructive, yet so beautiful,  _ Seungmin thought as he tuned out all other conversation in favour of focusing on the sound of waves making their gentle shushing noises against the soft looking sand at the shore. Foam collected where the waves left off, and Seungmin wondered what it would feel like to run his hands through it, or even taste it. Would it be as salty as he remembered the sea tasting, from the time he fell over at here as an infant, and had been left with a face full of bitter sand and salty moisture? Would it be sour, or even sweet? It certainly looked sweet, although by the smell of seaweed in the air, Seungmin doubted that it would taste so.

Despite the blessing of sharing such beautiful sights and experiences with his entire close family, Seungmin felt strangely empty, in a yearning kind of way. Although he had four brothers to share in these sights, as well as two parents and  _ then _ his two grandparents, who he seldom had the blessing of spending time with, he felt absurd in the way of wanting someone  _ else _ to share things with.

He had never felt such a way before, and wondered what kind of person he should prefer to be with, if not his most beloved family.

Seungmin closed his eyes just for a moment, and allowed the harsh sea breeze to rake through his hair. Just for a second, all thoughts of the sea ceased, and nature's fingers running through his hair were replaced with another's; a living being's hands instead, ones belonging to a stoic, catlike brunet whose presence had already caused such uproar in his life.

He blinked his eyes back open in haste as a particularly large wave crashed loudly into the sand, sending sprays of water and foam flying high into the air on impact. That was the first time his thoughts had ever strayed into such dangerous territory, and he would hate for it to happen again. His heart raced at the thought as it played, unbidden, repeatedly in his mind. To entertain such a scenario... it could never be.

It  _ will _ never be.

Seungmin solidly swore to himself in that moment to never think about Lee Minho in such a way again.

  
  


*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

It felt as if mere minutes had passed by the time a week had flown by already, and Seungmin in particular found himself in incredibly high spirits due to the combination of the new setting and sunshine. Each sunray felt as if it had heightened in quality just by being at the seaside, although the sunrays at Maplebrook were still by no means of cheap quality. 

“I was wondering if we should ask our grandfather if we could borrow his horses today, and ride along the shoreside,” he suggested to Jisung one morning before the rest of their family had awoken, and Jisung’s entire being lit up at the idea.

“Oh yes, lets!” 

After bringing up the topic at breakfast and receiving the all-clear from Mr Choi, all five brothers set off for the beach whilst their family stayed at home. The tide was out, it took them a great time to reach the point wherein the sea met land, but once they did they rode at once through it, setting spray flying as their horses galloped and the sea air blew their hair out of their faces conveniently and freeingly. 

The rush of sea air combined with the feeling of flying atop their horses had every man laughing aloud as they rode on, and Jisung even went as far as to throw his hands in the air above his head, whooping and hollering at the feeling of freedom unadulterated rushing through his veins like an addictive.

“Never have I felt so free,” Chan voiced into the wind, and half of his sentence was whisked away from him in the sheer force of it. Jeongin laughed wholeheartedly behind him, soaked up to the waist despite being sat astride his horse the entire time - being at the back end of the group, he had received more than his fair share of splashes. 

They rode for what felt like both seconds and hours rolled into one untellable expanse of time, and eventually, reached the end of the beach where rocky cliff faces met the soft sand beneath their horses’ hooves. 

“Know you whether the tide is to come in within the next hour or so?” Jisung asked, and Changbin shook his head as Seungmin watched the tide carefully.

“Mr Choi told me that the tides are to turn at half-past three exactly, and it is only one o’clock as of now. We have ample time to enjoy the beach and ride back before we will get caught by nature,” Changbin cheerfully explained, and everybody exhaled in relief, having been a little struck by the possibility of getting caught by the everlasting sea as a result of their own carelessness. And all five at once, too! It would certainly have been a great tragedy. 

At once they dismounted from their horses, and led them further ashore, where the sand was still hard-packed from the sea but not wet to the point of a sinking consistency. 

“Is it so beautiful here; I do not think that I have ever beheld such wild, untamed beauty in my life,” Seungmin commented once a comfortable silence had befell everybody, and was at once met with sounds of agreement and hums of satisfaction. His own borrowed horse, a brown beauty whose name he had not quite caught from the stable boy who had handed her to him, let out a little  _ harrumph _ too, as if she, too, agreed with his words.

“You shall have to bring Yeji here one day, Chan, when you are wed,” Jeongin was the next to speak, his eyes full of teasing mirth as he turned them upon his eldest brother. “Perhaps, once all of us are wed, we may all stay here one way or another, just for a little while, and make good memories together.”

“I should think that you would love to being Mr Felix here, too, Jeongin,” Seungmin teazed back, interrupting before Chan could say anything back, much to Changbin’s amusement and Jisung’s chagrin, who had very much wanted to hear whatever Chan would have had to reply with. “Did not you mention that his estate is not ten miles from here? An easy distance, I daresay.”

"An easy distance is what he called it, too!" Jeongin exclaimed, throwing his hands aloft in his excitement. "Indeed... if we are to ever wed, as bold as it is to say, I should say that I would very much like to visit this very beach with Mr Felix... yes, I should like that very much indeed."

"Beaches are romantic spots, are they not?" Jisung quipped, stroking his horse's muzzle fondly as he spoke. "I can certainly see the appeal of bringing a loved one here. But indeed, I am enjoying it just as much without! Good company is all one needs for contentedness: I have reached such a state right now, as we stand here."

"Ever the sweet talker," Chan laughed as he turned around to face the sea; the wind blew his hair away from his face and made him look impossibly more contemplative than before. "I am very glad to be here today."

"And we are glad to have you here with us today," Seungmin replied, before Changbin snorted quietly into his hand.

"You sounded like our pastor greeting us on a Sunday just then, Seungmin," said he, and again the group of brothers were set off laughing like a group of schoolchildren having just committed a heinous act of heckling and having gotten away with it without any consequence or noticing from their governesses or teachers.

A wave huger than any before it crashed onto the shore in front of them, and Changbin pretended to leap away in fright.

"I do wonder what it should feel like to stand beneath a wave as it breaks," Jeongin mused, watching the repetitive push and pull movements of the water. "Would one feel it at all, if you were already submerged?"

"I am no scientist or great thinker, but I should think that it would  _ definitely _ hurt, Jeongin," Jisung laughed again, placing a hand on Jeongin's shoulder to steady himself against the attack of cackles that had attacked him so suddenly, stemming from the idea of being bowled down by a gargantuan wave. "What a question! Perhaps it would feel like the wind, only stronger, as in my limited experience a blast of water always hits more violently than if somebody were to blow on you."

Always the intellectual, Jisung puffed up his chest proudly as he spoke, and beamed at his brothers, who knew not what to make of his spiel, and resolved to agree with him, for they could not argue, having had no experience of their own to combat it with, as much as some of them (in this instance, Changbin) secretly wished to argue, for the sole purpose of the fun that would arise from holding a debate with Jisung on a matter that both partakers would be so badly-versed in.

"As I know no better, I shall have to agree with you," Chan said, and got back upon his horse, bidding his brothers to do the same. Within five minutes they were gone again, riding back amongst the foamy shoreline and marvelling at the way the sun glinted so beautifully off each wave and the wider expanse of the sea.

It occurred to Seungmin in particular just how infinite the sea seemed. Although he remembered seeing it as a child, when his family would visit the seaside more often and his mother would steal away with her friends to go sea-bathing in private, and he would splash about in the shallows with Chan and Changbin whilst Jisung would stay fearfully away from the water - thank goodness he had changed and grown out of that fear by now, or else he would have had difficulty riding so close to the sea today.

Jeongin had not been born yet in Seungmin's earliest memories of the sea, and for that reason he suspected a lot of his memories were faulty, for Jeongin fell behind him only a year or so in age, and there was no possible way Seungmin could have had so many trips without his younger brother by his side. No, indeed: he must have been remembering a lot from one visit in particular.

But back to the sea: if Seungmin had never seen it until now, he wagered privately to himself that he should be very shocked indeed by the infinite expanse of it. The description of a body of water stretching on as far as the eye could see sounded positively hyperbolic to one who had never witnessed it themselves, and had perhaps only ever seen rivers, streams, or lakes at most throughout their entire life.

To think that some spent their life without seeing the sea at all made Seungmin feel a little melancholy to think about. That some should miss out on such beauty... such an idea was insufferably unfair.

The time passed much too quickly for Seungmin's liking, or indeed  _ any _ of the five brothers' likings, and soon they had reached the point of their beginning, and the tide was racing in thick and fast, lapping at the hooves of each horse as they rode back up onto the softer sand at the cusp of the beach before making their ways back up to the cobbled paths of the now-familiar streets of Discidium.

"We still have ample time to do as we please, should we ride around a little longer?" Jisung begged, eyes wide as his hands caressed his horse's mane.

"Indeed we shall, Jisung: have your fill of horseback riding whilst you can," said Chan, and Seungmin shook his head to himself, deciding to go back to Choi Lodge himself, for the hours of riding had been enjoyable but the constant jolting of his horse on uneven sand had made his head hurt rather a lot, and he wished for it to pass as soon as possible. When he voiced this aloud to his brothers they met him with concern, but he insisted on returning alone, not wanting to withhold his brothers from more exploration and quality time in town.

Slowly he rode through the streets, taking his time as he mapped out each shop, each road to memory, lest he came back another day and forget where he was. That would never do.

He had just reached the third road in town before the country roads would separate him from Choi Lodge when he did a double-take, having spotted a very familiar head of brown hair. He shook his own head at first, convincing himself that he had merely mistook the head for somebody he knew, as it was near impossible that anybody of his acquaintance, save his family and Mr Felix, should realistically be in Discidium as of now.

His thoughts were brought to an abrupt halt, however, when he gave the signal to his horse to ride on, but was interrupted by a soft voice calling out amongst the babble of people bustling around on foot.

"Mr Seungmin!"

_ Lee Minho _ .

Tugging on the reins to stop his horse in her tracks, Seungmin looked about again for that head of hair again, spotting it walking towards him at harried speeds. Indeed, it was Mr Minho in the flesh, and Seungmin fought the urge to pinch himself in order to convince himself that this was not some absurd, sea air-induced hallucination.

"Mr Minho," Seungmin greeted, and dismounted his horse out of obligation than anything else, like genuine will or want. "Not to sound impolite, but whatever are you doing here?"

"Business called me here urgently," Minho replied, voice level and eyes skimming the crowds behind Seungmin instead of meeting his eyes. "I trust that you are well?"

"I am well, thank you. Is anybody else here with you?"

Seungmin did not know if he was imagining this or not, but he could have sworn he had seen Felix's blond hair bobbing past a shop just a second ago.

"I am alone as of now. My brother might come and join me in due course," Minho replied. "Mr Seungmin... may I be so bold as to request your company as I sit for a drink in the pub opposite? I was just about to go in when I saw your face."

The pounding in Seungmin's head was only serving to worsen the longer he was in the loud public eye, but he pushed it down, not wanting to seem rude and go against the strict rules of which he had been brought up.  _ Never refuse a gentleman _ . "I thank you, yes."

He simply hoped that, after a suitable amount of time, he would be permitted to leave without further questioning or requests.

"Is not Mr Felix with you today? Perhaps I was mistaken, but I am sure to have seen his face seconds before you greeted me," Seungmin asked as they handed the reins of his horse to a nearby servant of the pub and headed in, finding it to be cosy and, thankfully, quieter than Seungmin had expected.

It had a comforting presence, and its interior colour theme was made primarily from deep red colours to compliment the dark brown wood that made up most of its infrastructure. The tangy smell of alcohol and ale lingered overhead, but not so much that is suggested drunkenness was afoot anywhere, thankfully, and as well as that there were hints of seafood woven into the air too, and although he had eaten a hearty breakfast that morning, Seungmin felt his stomach rumble just a little at the smell.

Thankfully, the low rumble of chatter drowned the noise out, or else he should have been very embarrassed indeed. He followed faithfully as Minho led him to a table by the window where they were thus seated, and continued to be so in somewhat strained silence until their host came to receive them, and ask them what they would like to drink.

"This is a nice place," Seungmin commented vaguely as the server left them be, and Minho nodded in response, looking at his leisure out of the window and into the street below. Seungmin followed suit, at a loss for what to do when his table partner was so silent and unresponsive.

Five minutes passed in silence, and at long last their drinks came: Seungmin took a sip from his pitcher at once, feeling parched after his long horseback ride and conversation - or lack thereof - with Mr Minho.

"How long have you been in town?" he tried again, and Minho finally tore his gaze away from the masses outside, and looked directly at Seungmin for perhaps the first time that day.

"Three days' time," he replied, and took a long swig of his own drink instead of saying any more. Seungmin sighed internally; if he were going to have any conversation at all here, it seemed that he would be the person carrying its weight entirely.

"And for how long do you plan to stay?"

"The duration is, as of yet, undecided," Minho leaned back in his seat, placing his pitcher back onto the table in front of him and finally making eye contact with Seungmin. "I know not whether my family will be joining us, yet. I have a little sister, you know."

Seungmin made a small sound of surprise, although whether the surprise came from Minho's having a younger sister or the fact that he was offering substantial conversation was unbeknownst even to himself.

"You do? Pray, what is her age?"

"She is not yet fourteen," Minho said, and, oh - was Seungmin hallucinating the fondness that lay within the elder man's eyes as he spoke of her? Perhaps he really  _ was _ an amiable individual, after all.

“So young,” Seungmin said softly, moreso to himself than Mr Minho. “I did not see her at any of the balls we attended of which your family was also in company with, and Mr Hyunjin has never mentioned her, either.” 

“She stays at home, with her governess thirty miles away from Evergreen Manor. Once she has grown into a sensible young woman she will be permitted to come and join us once more, wherever we may be by then.”

“Separated from you all simply for her education? Surely her governess should be able to accompany her wherever she goes, and teach her that way,” Seungmin voiced his worries aloud, feeling inexplicable sympathy and sadness for the girl of only thirteen years of age, so vulnerable, forced to stay separate from her parents and brothers in the name of a private education that could easily be relocated for convenience.

Minho did not react much, all traces of fondness wiped from his apparel as he turned back to the window. “It is not up to me. Where she is, she is able to grow up in… refined, higher society than others. I would not have her grow up… elsewhere.”

Scoffing at the elder man’s implications, Seungmin stared down into the dark depths of his drink in disbelief. “Unrefined how, sir? Are you implying that where your family resides now, at Evergreen Manor, is unrefined? That my own society is so?”

“It is somewhat so, yes. In comparison to my own upbringing. I would not wish my young, easily influenced sister a different one to my own.”

“And have her influenced to become what, exactly, in Maplebrook?” Seungmin feels anger begin to replace the tingling irritation taking over his bloodstream, and takes a deep breath before should say anything more; something that might damage his image or fatally insult someone of higher class to him. For now, he will hold his tongue.

“Without the strict corset of a good upbringing she will become reckless and common.”

“So my family and I are common, too, because of where we have grown up? Surely this must be hurting your internalised reputation now then, to be sitting with me here - especially of your own accord, too.”

Right as Seungmin had begun to think differently of Mr Minho, the man had turned his opinion right back around and booted it out of the back door. He had heard enough, and his general acquaintance alone had been insulted enough by association for him to feel entirely justified in leaving at once. His head throbbed as if it had been hurting for three full days, and he ached to be back at Choi Lodge, in the confines of his private chambers as he lay prone on his bed, mulling the events of the day over and over in his head before his brothers rode back too. 

“I shall not bring you down any further: I will take my leave. Thank you for your time, and I hope that it was not so disgustingly spent as you have made it sound by description of my upbringing.”

Without another word he left, retrieving his horse and galloping back to Choi Lodge, where he did indeed spend the next two hours laying down, resting his pounding head and trying his very best to erase all memories of the past hour from his head, as if that would make the pain go away, or reduce his anger at all. Insufferable man. 

When his brothers came home, however, he spoke not a word to them of the entire ordeal, feeling both annoyed beyond coherent words and having not enough energy to explain everything that had happened that afternoon since parting with them, as well as not wanting to excite Jeongin and have him hope that Mr Felix might be in the area to only have his hopes crushed upon the possibility of finding out that he was not. A blind man Seungmin was not, and one would have had to be a fool to mistake Jeongin’s innocent pining for anything else than what it was. Indeed, although he tried to hide it, everybody could tell that he missed Felix a great deal, and Seungmin warranted that he missed the man even more following their almost-confession, that could have even spanned into even deeper, perhaps more binding territory afterwards. He could not blame Jeongin for his feelings. Anybody in his position would be feeling the loss just as sorely.

Eventually he fell asleep to the sounds of his brothers arriving back at the Lodge outside, the sound of hooves on gravel and cheerful voices lulling him into a sense of comfort to have them back in his presence, even if they were likely to leave him to sleep until he made his presence known again of his own accord.

As he drifted off to sleep, Seungmin’s final thoughts damned the singular thought of warmth that he had ever held towards Lee Minho.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

Another week passed in calm solitude, and Seungmin saw nothing else of Minho, nor of what he had originally suspected to be Felix on the fateful beach ride day. Each day went by in the quickly strengthening sun, and soon Seungmin found himself sweating in his winter clothes and being very glad indeed that he had had the sense to ask for his spring clothes to be packed as well, in case the weather was to get unbearably warm. It did indeed, and the feeling of transition from his thick jackets to thinner layers felt liberating and comfortable, and amplified the feeling of giddy happiness that the springtime always brought with it.

Each season was like a friend, Seungmin thought, and whilst he did so love the thick, fuzzy comfort that winter brought with it, he preferred spring over any season, if not for the feeling of fresh newness over anything else. 

He and his brothers were in town again with their grandparents accompanying them when Seungmin ran into Mr Minho once more. At once he was met with not only the man himself, but an immediate rush of anger and, dare he even admit, _hurt_ remaining from their last meeting.

To his immense shock, Mr Minho acted completely indifferent, as if they had never met at all.

It was Jeongin who first spoke to him, and if not for him, Seungmin thought that they may have missed out on seeing Mr Minho at all, and for that reason, heartily wished his brother had never said a word.

“Mr Minho!” Jeongin greeted loudly, waving across the street and stopping Minho in his tracks, half-way into stepping through a shop door. “How do you do?”

“Mr Jeongin, I am well. How fare you?” Minho returned civilly as he crossed the street to meet the Kim family in the middle. “I see not your parents.”

“They reside still indoors, for they are tired after a walk we took yesterday. These are our grandparents, Mr and Mrs Choi,” Jeongin said, and the three shook hands interchangeably. 

“Choi? I assume, the owners of Choi Lodge.”

“Yes, indeed, sir.”

“And I trust that you are all staying there, too?” Minho asked.

“We are, sir, all of us,” Changbin spoke next, wanting a part in some of the conversation. 

“Is your family in town with you?” Jisung asked, and Jeongin’s eyes lit up with hope.

“They are not.”

The hope in Jeongin’s eyes extinguished immediately, and it broke Seungmin’s heart a little to see it.

“Chan, walk with me a little,” Seungmin bid his eldest brother quietly, and took him by the arm so as to speed him up a little.

“Please excuse us,” Chan said politely, before moving away with Seungmin.

“Insufferable man. I am quite sure that I saw Felix just a week ago, but with no solid proof I did not want to mention it to Jeongin, lest I get his hopes up,” Seungmin began ranting as soon as they were out of earshot, quite missing the way that Mr Minho’s eyes stayed glued to him until the last possible instant. “I am quite tired all of a sudden. May we head home soon?”

“I daresay we can, as we have fulfilled our original purpose for this visit to town,” Chan confirmed, but eyed Seungmin with suspicion as he spoke. “Are you sure that this sudden reluctance to be out has not a thing to do with a certain unexpected addition to our party?”

Seungmin shook his head absolutely. “Not in the slightest. I do so love being in town, but I am craving the solitude of Choi Lodge’s beautiful gardens again, is all. They are so relaxing to be in, and hold not a candle to our own gardens and grounds at Maplebrook.”

Chan looked suspicious still, but he let the matter go, and turned them both around swiftly, telling Seungmin that if Minho was still with the group then Chan himself would announce their immediate leave, and accompany Seungmin back to the Lodge along with anybody else who also wished to retire for the day. As it turned out, the entire group wished to leave and return back to Choi Lodge too, having no business keeping them in town, and once Seungmin’s preference for the Lodge’s gardens were voiced by Chan as means of reasoning for leaving, everybody at once began to crave the solitude and serenity of the rose-gardens and tall trees there. With a swift goodbye to Mr Minho, who looked on the verge of leaving himself, they separated and headed for Choi Lodge directly.

  
  


What Seungmin was expecting the least, and he could safely say expecting the least in the  _ world _ , if not the immediate and far  _ universe _ , was for Mr Minho to make an unannounced, unexpected appearance at Choi Lodge that very evening, as the sun has just begun to set, casting a golden edge onto the scenery there and bathing every single grass blade, tree branch and flower petal in warmth. 

Seungmin knew not of his arrival until a breathless Jisung sprinted out into the innermost corner of the rose gardens, where Seungmin resided with a book, sitting on a wooden bench that had been installed there for convenience and surrounded by beautiful red and white petals and the occasional bee. The bees did not bother him: rather they were a little comforting to hear and see as they sometimes skimmed across the pages of his story in their minuscule, fluffy glories.

“Mr Minho is here and requests your presence,” Jisung managed to squeak out before footsteps could be heard faintly making their way through the gardens themselves, and both brothers looked at each other abruptly with an unbidden sense of urgency and confusion.

“Whatever could he want from  _ me _ ?” Seungmin asked, bookmarking his page and closing his book with a  _ snap _ . “Is that him, making his way over?”

“Indeed it is, and I know not what he would want. I shall leave you here now, though, and pray that you tell us all about it when he leaves,” Jisung stuck his tongue out immaturely and then ran away, stopping to nod politely at Mr Minho as their paths crossed on his way back out. 

Seungmin, not quite knowing what to do, stared down at the cover of his book, contemplating whether or not he should reopen it and appear as if he did not know of Minho’s arrival when he came. In the end, he opted to stare at the opening between the two largest rose-bushes, waiting patiently for the man to enter. The sooner he would, the sooner their meeting should be over - and Seungmin so wanted this to be over already. He was growing hungry, and had no reason nor will to talk to the elder man after the bitter end of their last meeting.

At long last Minho appeared, choosing to stand before the bench upon which Seungmin was sitting and bowed at the waist in greeting. Seungmin nodded in response, waiting for Minho to speak first and break the terse silence between them. Minho stood still, seeming to contemplate his methods of communication for a good few minutes, and the silence alone made Seungmin grow antsy as he resisted the urge to shift in his place in discomfort. Finally Minho moved, stepping forward and kneeling down on both knees so that he might be within eye level of the younger man. This action alone surprised Seungmin to the point of gasping silently, as he had much rather expected Minho to stay standing, or at the very most sit down next to him. This kneeling had an air of intimacy akin to a marriage proposal to it, and Seungmin was not sure how much he liked it. In response he stood up, and Minho followed; words still hovering unsaid in the air between them as both waited for the other to say something.

At  _ last _ , Minho was the first to speak.

“Seungmin,” Minho grasped Seungmin’s hands tightly within both of his own, and Seungmin gasped aloud at the physical contact alone - never had he had somebody hold his hands so openly before, and to be fully honest, the touch felt strangely intimate. “You must sit, and hear my words for a minute.” 

“I- of course,” Seungmin said, and sat down rather promptly altogether, more  _ collapsing _ than sitting down gently back onto the bench, letting go of Minho’s hands as the latter started to pace back and forth. It took countless moments before the elder spoke again, making lasting eye contact with one particularly large bumblebee sitting peacefully on the rose across the garden from them before he parted his lips once more, only to say the most unexpected, and dare Seungmin say  _ unwelcome _ words he had ever not anticipated his entire life thus far: 

“Kim Seungmin, you must allow me to express my unfathomable love for you aloud... and let me beg for your hand in marriage. I am loathe to be part from you, and wish for us to be united in matrimony at the nearest possible occasion.” 

“You-  _ what _ ?” Seungmin spluttered unintelligently, and was quite glad he was sitting down, for suddenly he felt quite faint; the shock of skin to skin physical contact from a few minutes prior feeling nothing to this moment. “Pray, repeat what you just said - I am quite sure to have misheard you-”

“You misheard nothing,” Minho held eye contact as he knelt down in front of Seungmin, taking his hands once more as he looked up at the boy sitting amongst the roses. “I am deeply in love with you and wish to marry you at once.”

Seungmin let himself hold eye contact with the man in front of him for just enough time for the words to sink in, before he ripped his hands out of Minho’s gentle hold and stood abruptly, causing Minho to scurry to his feet as well, following closely behind Seungmin as the younger man strode over to the opening between bushes, needing to look somewhere,  _ anywhere _ but at the man standing with him.

“When-” Seungmin walked away from the opening after a few seconds had passed and flung himself back around, feeling rage build up in his blood like white-hot fire, “when have I ever given you  _ any _ palpable hints that I am in love with you?” 

Minho blinked, obviously uncomfortable as he had not anticipated this outcome. “I must confess to have never received any confirmation otherwise.” Had Seungmin’s blatant disregard for his entire personnel not been convincing enough of his regard?

“But have you ever received a sign telling you I  _ had _ ?” Seungmin cried, throwing his hands in the air with exasperation. “Lee Minho, you have made your feelings about me very clear from the moment you laid eyes on me, and I have never heard you say one nice thing about me.  _ Not intriguing nor beautiful enough for you, _ you said on the night of our first acquaintance. You have hardly offered amiable conversation with anybody outside of your immediate family; least of all to me, and your snobbery is obvious in your airs and mannerisms.” 

“I did not ask to fall in love with somebody of your status! Everything I have stated thus far has been completely against the better interests of my social status and place in society and, needless to add, my own better judgement!” Minho snarls back, and Seungmin tries not to flinch. 

“Then do not ask for my hand in marriage, if it is clearly so disgusting for you to bear!” Seungmin yelled back, feeling the need to back up against an invisible wall for physical support; the seat he had inhabited before seeming too far away to reach although it was simply a few steps away. He felt like he definitely needed the physical support; his heart raced in the worst way possible, and his palms had never felt so clammy in his life. “Your pride disgusts me; you are impossible. Marry within your class; it will clearly take a burden from your heart to do so!”

“Seungmin,” Minho’s face hardens; his unreadable mask fixed back into place as his walls come shooting back up around him, “I cannot help who I fall in love with.”

“If it is so below you to love me, then I am convinced that we could never make each other happy,” Seungmin whispers back bitterly. “Do not think that I have forgotten what you said about my upbringing, just last week. Surely it will leave a stain on your family if I am to marry into it. It will be easier all around if you leave; you are very much the last man on earth I would ever consider marrying!”

“If that is what you desire.”

“It very much is.”

“Very well. Goodbye, Seungmin.” Minho left the garden without another room, and Seungmin collapsed back into his seat with a laugh of disbelief, blinking long and hard. Lee Minho, in love with Seungmin? The very idea was laughable; unfathomable. There was no possible way that what had just taken place was  _ real… _ and for him to say such horrible things about Seungmin himself, and his family, too! It was in no way a suitable confession of love, yet alone a marriage offer, and it made the memory of Minho’s confession of apparent love all the more inconceivable. The absurdity of it all! 

Seungmin let his head flop back onto the back of the bench, and breathed for a few moments; he could hear Minho’s horse galloping away from their house on the gravel outside, and a shocked laugh bubbled back up in his chest, although was not strong enough to break free from his lips. 

_ Good riddance. _

Seungmin wondered, if anything, what his siblings would make of this. 

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Can you believe it?” Seungmin paced the wooden floors of his bedroom upon his long-awaited return to his bedroom. It was nighttime, and the rest of the house was still at last, even the floorboards creaking in relief as they rested from the flurry of movement and activity that had been raised as Seungmin had arrived back inside, full of loud questions and loud movements and loud attention. His brothers had not one left him alone all night, and after hours of excitement and theories, Seungmin had never been so glad for some quiet solitude in his entire lifetime. Jeongin he had allowed to stay within his room with him, for he had surprisingly remained the calmest among his brothers throughout the entire ordeal, and even Chan had let shock get the better of him, asking question upon question until Seungmin scarcely felt as if he could breathe.

“Quite scarcely,” Jeongin replied, sounding rather far away. “I confess I would have never guessed his affections for you.” 

Seungmin scoffed. “Nor would I, it seems.” 

“But it does make me wonder, Seungmin,” Jeongin pressed on, “If you may have misjudged him, perhaps rather harshly. If your own prejudice blinded you enough that you did not see his love before he vocalised it, then perhaps you have been wrong in other judgements of him?”

“Absolutely not. Even if he does love me as he says he does, it does not undo the bad way he talked of us, Jeongin. And such malicious words they were…” 

Jeongin tutted sympathetically, one hand reaching out to stroke Seungmin’s hair. “Do not lose hope, Seungmin. I only want to see you happy.”

A smile at long last made its way back onto Seungmin’s face. “And I, you. Dear, dear Jeonginnie."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OK LISTEN DONT YELL AT ME IT GETS BETTER. I PROMISE. THINGS LOOK UNRESOLVED AND SAD NOW BUT I PROMISE . THESE TWO MFS. WILL BE KISSIN BEFORE LONG 
> 
> leave a comment and let me know what you thought of this chapter! I know this chapter's 2min interaction wasn't what a lot of you may have been hoping for, but it's a setup for next chapter's interactions, where - spoilers - minho will actually start getting chances to prove himself, and show seungmin how loveable and caring he really is. i promise! 
> 
> see you next update ;)


	5. chapter five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Successfully hydrated and no longer breathless, the group headed back into the ballroom, where they hoped to dance some more, when Seungmin was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his arm.
> 
> "Mr Seungmin," a familiar voice said, and immediately the joy pounding in Seungmin's chest was replaced with hard resolution. "May I have this next dance?"
> 
> Lee Minho is a gentleman. By these standards I cannot refuse him, Seungmin thought desperately, and nodded once. "You may."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA that is all I have to say for this chapter

After the disastrous failed proposal which only served to plague Seungmin’s thoughts day and night without any break or mercy, the weeks then flew by, to the point of the Kims returning home in what seemed like a matter of days. Seungmin regretted not having savoured the experience any more than he already had; wanting to have had appreciated the sunsets at the beach, and the smell of the sea air, much more than he had through his distractions on this particular stay. But it was of little matter, for he was still very young, and had his entire life to travel and store new memories within his mind, however vexing it was to have missed out on the pleasantries of this trip in particular.

What puzzled everybody else too was the fact that during their entire five weeks of staying at Choi Lodge, Jeongin had received no word nor letters whatsoever from Mr Felix, who had promised to write to him. After two weeks of silence, Jeongin had resolved to not write to him either, feeling much too scared to make the first move when the elder had not kept his promise. Seungmin knew deep down that as much as Jeongin tried to hide it it had affected him deeply too, and so supposed that they both had not enjoyed their trip as much as they should have liked. He hoped that Chan, Changbin and Jisung, at least, had been able to enjoy it as much as Seungmin had wished that he himself could have.

“I fear that Mr Felix has played you very ill indeed, Jeongin,” Mrs Kim fretted one dinnertime once the subject had been brought up after three days had passed at Maplebrook with still no word from Mr Felix. “No letters, nothing! And to think that he promised to try his best to visit you in Discidium Bay, no matter his business nor situations. Awful!”

“I am sure he has his reasons, mother,” Jeongin replied quietly as he cut into his food, “and until I have received an explanation from Mr Felix himself I will withhold my judgement and opinions.”

Changbin made a displeased grunting noise. “I shall certainly not. Nobody makes my brother melancholy without receiving my utmost displeasure and bad opinion.” 

“Mr Felix is a pleasant man. I should hope he offers a good excuse for airing our Jeongin for almost two months together - but we must hope for the best in this situation, and console ourselves with the hope that some matter of pressing business has called him away elsewhere, and that may be the cause of his silence,” Seungmin wagered, although he had been feeling  _ particular _ irritation towards the whole Lee party with both Felix’s silence and that disastrous proposal a few weeks ago having happened within the same timeframes. 

“Their family and party have indeed caused quite an uproar,” Mr Kim said, rolling picking up his glass to drink from and gulping heartily. “And among our family in particular, it seems! I wonder what we have done to deserve this.”

“I would rather think Seungmin wishes we had done  _ nothing _ , and so would not be worthy of such displeasure,” Chan chuckled at Seungmin’s souring expression across the table. “Oh, do not dwell on it so, Seungmin. The event has been and gone, and now you shall likely never see Mr Minho again.”

“I should certainly hope so,” Seungmin replied. “But moving on: we are home now, and I have been missing my daily walks here. I shall take my leave tomorrow and perhaps take lunch with me, so that I may stay outside for longer. Would anybody like to accompany me?”

“I should be happy to,” Jisung said, and Changbin agreed too, whilst Jeongin and Chan opted to stay at home with their parents. 

With that decision, it seemed at last as if life were slowly returning to the comfortable normality that it had been before the Kim family had ever left for Choi Lodge, excluding the element of Jeongin’s pining and melancholy. Oh, how Seungmin hoped that it would end soon, and as soon as possible, at that. 

How he hoped they had truly not misjudged Mr Felix’s true character. 

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

The next day Seungmin awoke bright and early, and took it upon himself to awaken the two brothers who had voluntarily subjected themselves to accompanying him on his day-long amble. At first Jisung had yawned loudly and declared with vivacity that he should no longer like to join them on their walk, for he was much too comfortable in his own bed, but once he could hear both Changbin and Seungmin awake and preparing for the day he, too, drew the motivation to part from the warmth of his blankets and got ready too.

“The early bird catches the worm, and oh my, is the worm a beautiful one this fine morning,” Changbin commented as the three of them stepped outside less than an hour later, well-fed on breads and meats to keep them energised throughout their day and equipped each with a satchel containing the same foods to eat at midday. The sun had risen already, and cast a lovely, fresh glow upon the dirt-tracks that would lead them to the first field that they planned to walk across, whilst birds ranging from magpies to bluetits swooped and fluttered from tree to tree singing in a plethora of wonderful symphonies.

It really was a wonderful feeling to be back in one’s homespace after such a long time away, especially when the time away from home had been rather troubling in essence. The sense of safety and comfort that being surrounded with complete familiarity again brought a sense of peace settling in Seungmin’s bones like snow settling on the ground on a winter’s day.

The three walked in amiable silence for a good while, enjoying the serenity of the morning and exchanging animated conversation here and there only for it to lull back out into more tranquility; the contrast just as beautiful and enjoyable as their morning sunrise. 

They had been walking for just over two hours when they spotted a long figure in the distance, leaping from field to field astride their horse. Admiring the creature greatly, Jisung begged of his brothers that they might accompany him on a detour across three fields to their right instead of walking straight on, so that he might have the chance to befriend the owner of the magnificent horse they could see and perhaps ask him a few things about it.

It was only as they drew closer that the rider’s features became visible and pronounced: and who should it be but Mr Hyunjin in the flesh!

“Mr Hyunjin, what a coincidence!” Jisung said, rather loudly even for himself, and Seungmin felt a jolt of shock at the name, and immediately looked around for any companions that may be travelling with Mr Hyunjin. To his immense relief, there was nobody, although he was a little disappointed that Mr Felix was not with him too. 

“Mr Jisung! And Mr Seungmin, Mr Changbin. It is good to see you all; how was your trip to Discidium Bay?”

Changbin nudged Seungmin lightly in the side and gestured to Jisung, so that they both might observe his manner as he talked to Mr Hyunjin about their trip. To Seungmin’s relief, nothing was mentioned about Mr Minho’s proposal, and Mr Hyunjin mentioned it not either, but Seungmin  _ did _ notice, however, that Jisung seemed a lot more energetic than usual, and not in a way that seemed normal for his brother. After an entire childhood and the beginnings of adulthood spent alongside Jisung, Seungmin knew his energy levels like the back of his hand, yet he had never seen this type of energy before. Jisung’s hands shook just slightly as he talked to Mr Hyunjin, and his volume control seemed almost nonexistent. Still, Mr Hyunjin did not seem to mind, and simply laughed, returning Jisung’s enthusiasm kindly. 

“Curious,” Changbin whispered, and then stepped forward, reinserting himself into Mr Hyunjin and Jisung’s conversation so that they would not forget their company, as they seemed to be doing so already. 

“There will be another ball held at Evergreen Manor within a week, and although I am not sure whether or not the letters have been sent out yet, your family is heartily invited,” Hyunjin was saying, and Jisung’s cheeks turned a rosy pink at the smile that Mr Hyunjin sent him as he spoke, causing Changbin to have to tamp down the urge to pinch said cheeks in response. “Although I regret to tell you that Felix will not be joining us at this ball. He returned to his own estate a few weeks ago, and will remain there for the foreseeable future.” 

Seungmin felt his heart drop down to his boots. So it may well have been Mr Felix that he had seen in town during his stay at Discidium after all! And to think that Mr Minho had stayed dutifully silent when he had asked about it… He bit down on his lip to stop the onslaught of slander that threatened to bubble over in company.

He lost himself to his mind for the next few minutes, and only blinked back to full alertness when he heard his name being called by Hyunjin, and looked up from the grass around his feet to see the party of three looking at him in question.

“My apologies, I quite lost myself for a moment,” Seungmin apologised, “Pray, repeat what you said?”

“I was enquiring whether we shall have the pleasure of receiving you at our ball,” Hyunjin repeated cheerfully, and Seungmin instantly did not feel as guilty for daydreaming when he was met with such forgiving cheer and good humour. How could he decline such an invitation? No indeed; he should simply have to avoid Mr Minho at all costs, instead.

“Of course, Mr Hyunjin. I should be happy to attend.”

“And we shall be infinitely glad to have you! May I ask the privilege of at least one dance from all of you, too, during the course of the night?” Hyunjin asked, and Seungmin’s eyes flitted momentarily to Jisung, who was red as a tomato.

“Of course,” Changbin answered smoothly. “Will the rest of your family be there, too?”

“Yes indeed, all of us. It is such a shame that Felix is not currently in town, for he should have loved to have been here too.”

“Indeed. We hope for his speedy return,” Changbin offered, and Hyunjin nodded in reply.

“I must be getting back. I wish you all a pleasant day, and hope to see you at our ball, if not before!”

They bid Mr Hyunjin goodbye, and watched as he mounted his horse and rode off into the distance, presumably in the distance of Evergreen Manor. Seungmin had not quite worked out the direction of which the manor was in just yet, as they had been walking for hours by now, and he knew not of which direction they were facing anymore.

“A ball, ‘ey?” Changbin enthused once Mr Hyunjin was out of earshot, “but such a shame that Mr Felix is not currently present. It is so strange, however, that he was in town all this time when we were in Discidium Bay, and yet did not reach out nor try to see us - nor Jeongin in particular! Did not he say to him that he would have made an extra effort to do so?”

“He did indeed, Jeongin told us all,” Jisung said, looking just as confused as Seungmin and Changbin were feeling. “Shall we tell him about this meeting when we return home?”

“I think it best we should, for I would rather Jeongin hear this from us, and not receive the blow of first hearing of it at the ball,” Changbin reasoned, and Seungmin nodded in agreement.

“Perhaps we will find out more regarding it when next we see the Lee family. There we will have our brothers with us to complete the party, and so hopefully can dig up more information than just three of us together.”

“Good thinking, Seungmin,” Jisung praised, and they carried on their walk from there, their conversation switching courses to things more light of heart and wholesome, such as the amount of bees one could see at once, and the way a butterfly landed right on Changbin’s head as he walked past a tree. 

None of the brothers had had the foresight to wear a watch, and so when the sun begun to set lower in the sky than midday, they decided to walk back in the direction they had come from, knowing that if they decided to prolong their walk any more they would be able to keep their path more local and close to home before darkness befell them. 

They were just having to climb over a particularly rickety fence to get from field to field when Jisung fell from the top of it, landing badly on his ankle and crying out in pain. 

“Hark! Jisung, are you quite alright?” 

“I do not rightly know,” Jisung laughed a little as he collapsed to the ground, legs akimbo and face white with shock and pain. “My ankle…”

“Can you walk?” Changbin asked, kneeling down in the long grass beside Jisung and sneezing when it tickled his nose. “What an inconvenient place to fall. You should have fallen where the grass was shorter.”

“I did not fall for my own amusement,” Jisung mumbled, leaning forward to pull his ankle closer to his body and wincing in pain when he touched the skin there. “Hm. I do not think I can walk, no.”

“We are not far from home. Let us leave for there directly,” Seungmin instructed, kneeling on Jisung’s other side as himself and Changbin endeavoured to help Jisung stand before making their slow, slow journey back home. Their walking was made infinitely easier once they got out of the longer grass and onto the dirt tracks near to town, and although both of Changbin and Seungmin’s shoulders ached greatly when they finally made it home, they knew that Jisung was in a much greater degree of pain than themselves on any level. 

When finally they made it home they were greeted with a whirlwind of activity, and immediately their servants rushed to the kitchens to find clean rags to soak in freshwater and place upon Jisung’s swollen ankle to reduce the swelling. Jisung simply lay back against the cushions in their parlour, face just as pale as when he had first fallen and not speaking much, which was a great change for him normally to begin with. That alone alerted his family of just how much pain he must be in, and so Mrs Kim sent out for a doctor immediately, who came at his first opportunity and carried out a thorough examination of Jisung’s leg as his family watched on in concern.

“It is not broken,” said he at long last, and the room heaved a collective sigh of relief. “It is badly sprained, though; he must have taken quite a fall to land that badly on it. I can do nothing for it apart from bind it up like so, and recommend elevating the limb for three days at least, before building up to walking around normally again.” He then shewed Mrs Kim how to bind Jisung’s ankle correctly, and left spare rags and bandages with the family in case his bandages should get dirty in between binding and unbinding it. 

“Thank you for your attention,” Mrs Kim said as she waved him off at the door, before bustling back into the parlor, where Jisung was yet to speak - thank goodness he had his brothers to do the talking for him. 

“I know not if this is the appropriate time to mention this, but perhaps it will breathe some life back into us all after this sudden shock. Whilst you, Changbin and Seungmin were gone walking today we received an invitation from the Lee family inviting us to a ball that is to be held in six days’ time,” Mrs Kim revealed, and Jisung closed his eyes in defeat. He knew that at this rate, he may not even be able to attend, depending on how well and fast his ankle should heal. 

“This is good news indeed,” Changbin said carefully, “but we already heard about the ball from Mr Hyunjin, who we met whilst walking. He says that we shall not see Mr Felix there unfortunately, for he currently resides at his own estate and - I am regretful to say - has been staying there for some weeks now.”

“What, at his estate this whole time and not a single visit or letter to Jeongin?” Mrs Kim was quick to become angry, disregarding Jisung’s current state and letting her volume rise to maximum. 

“Mother, please. Let us not get enraged whilst Jisung is still recovering from his fall,” Chan laid a hand upon her arm in a calming warning as Jeongin rose from his seat, mumbling something about needing to retrieve something from upstairs and leaving the room quickly. Seungmin and Chan shared a glance before Seungmin followed suit, walking slowly upstairs as he heard a door slam upstairs - clearly Jeongin had been quick to ascend.

“Jeongin?” Once reaching the door Seungmin knocked, not wanting to walk in on Jeongin upset if he did not want to be disturbed. To his surprise, the door opened within a second of his speaking, and he found himself with his arms full of his little brother as Jeongin tried to hold back tears. This, he was not expecting - in the entire course of his life he had rarely seen Jeongin cry. He must have been hurting beyond Seungmin’s entire belief to be so openly vulnerable in this moment.

“Do… do you think me incredibly stupid, Seungmin?” Jeongin whispered into his shoulder, and Seungmin sighed, bringing a hand up to caress the back of Jeongin’s head just as his mother used to do to them as children. “For thinking that Mr Felix held any serious regard for me.”

“I do not think you stupid at all, Jeongin,” Seungmin said softly, “and I do not think that Mr Felix is  _ not _ serious in his regard for you. Whatever gave you that idea?”

The room was silent for a minute, and Seungmin kicked the door closed behind them both, giving them full privacy from any prying servants. Their servants were indeed loyal, but loved to gossip more than anything, and this he would not want to be gossiped about, of all things.

“Felix had been not ten miles from where we were for weeks, and yet stayed silent and distant from us. In person he called those ten miles an easy distance, and yet we saw and heard nothing from him… he told me that if he were ever to return to Camellia Estate, he would do so with his husband, where they could build a happy life together. What if he is already married, and has returned because of that? He expressed no obligation to stay for so long beforehand.”

Seungmin pushed down the ridiculous urge to laugh and held Jeongin tighter than before. “Jeongin, you know that Mr Felix is not unfaithful, and anybody with eyes could conceive his regard for you, and you only. Whilst I cannot defend his silence, I very much doubt that he has suddenly married without any notice. We would have seen it in the papers if he had, would we not?”

“Indeed we would, and the whole town would be in uproar because of it,” Jeongin agreed, and sniffled quietly. “I am sorry… the silence for so long has been getting to me, and I think that the news that he had been present after all got to me in rather a bad way… he still had not professed any love for me verbally, and so I am not inclined to assume that he  _ does _ love me, until told otherwise by he himself.”

“You have nothing to apologise for,” Seungmin shushed him. “Take all the time you need.”

They stayed there for another five minutes, and then sat down upon Jeongin’s bed, where they reclined in comforting silence for another hour, until they were called down for tea. Jeongin did not mention the matter again, and although every one of his brothers ached to comfort him verbally, they knew better than to pry. Instead, they all silently resolved to find out more about Felix’s situation, and determine whether or not they had a right to be angry about it.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

Thankfully, after four days had passed, Jisung’s ankle had healed enough for him to limp about sufficiently on it without exhausting its limit too much, and had taken to hobbling about the house with newfound enthusiasm and determination, for he was not going to miss out on this ball if his life depended on it. He had been promised a dance by Mr Hyunjin, after all - this was not an opportunity he took lightly. He would be better for the ball if it killed him.

And indeed, it seemed to kill him in some ways when it turned out that all the hobbling and walking about the house had actually done more damage to his ankle than if he had simply rested it more. The annoyance he felt when told by their doctor visiting him once more and telling him that he should be allowed to attend the ball, but only to sit and socialise instead of moving about and dancing, was matched only by the pain he had felt when originally injuring his ankle. 

“It seems that you will have to call a rain check of sorts on your dance with Mr Hyunjin,” Chan had said to him gently, feeling empathetic for the boy who looked so small as he sat and sulked in his chair.

“Indeed I shall, and I was so looking forward to it, too,” Jisung said sadly, and Chan ruffled his hair affectionately. 

“Cheer up, old bean. I should think you will have ample opportunities in the future to dance with Mr Hyunjin, and I doubt that you could stay away from him if you tried,” Changbin said as he walked into the room, having picked up on the last snippets of their conversation as he did so. “All will be well.”

“I do hope so.”

The day of the ball arrived at long last, and truth be told, even Seungmin was excited for it even if he was dreading an evening of avoiding Mr Minho. After arriving home, Jisung’s ankle injury and news about Felix had been the most exciting things to happen all week, and he was positively gasping for another change of scenery, and perhaps to see his friends again, had they been invited. 

The carriage-ride to Evergreen Manor felt longer than usual, and Jisung almost fell again as he refused help with climbing out once they reached their destination before reluctantly accepting the arms that were offered to him in order to safely ascend the tall, stone steps leading up to the grand doorway.

“Are you quite sure that you are up to this, Jisung?” Jeongin whispered in concern, and Jisung grunted obstinately. 

“Very sure. The carriage and steps were my only obstacles: from here I shall be happy as a lamb in a field.”

The house was already full of guests, and the Lee family were nowhere to be seen, prompting the Kims to file in and find somewhere for Jisung to sit right away instead of seeking greeting and thanks for their invitation. 

“It is just as grand as the first time we were here,” Chan commented as they weaved through the masses of people, ears perking up as they drew closer to the main room of activity, where the music was being played. “Here - there are some spare seats at that table just there.”

Once settled in a luckily found chair, Jisung, Changbin and Mrs Kim all looked out at the dancing, which had already begun, as Mr Kim walked away to seek out his own gentlemanly friends to share a drink with, and Chan, Jeongin and Seungmin walked away as a group to find their own friends, once making sure that Changbin and Jisung would be alright to sit alone for a while. They had nodded profusely, and begged that their brothers go and find their friends, with Changbin more than happy to provide humorous remarks to keep Jisung entertained and distracted from his unhappy situation in the meantime. 

Within a few slow minutes, Seungmin had sought Yuna and Jisu out from their own group of friends and had joined them immediately, all too happy to lose himself in their company and hear their stories about recent life than to focus on his own. 

“The orchestra is indeed good tonight; we should dance soon,” said he, and Yuna and Jisu agreed immediately, standing up and dragging him into the main hall so that they may observe the dancing and slip in when allowed. 

“I shall dance with Seungmin first, for we have not danced together in so long and I was actively lamenting my loss just last night,” Yuna instructed, and Jisu laughed as she agreed, and began walking over to Changbin, Mrs Kim and Jisung at the other end of the room instead, so that she may not look lonely or as if she were in need of another partner whilst Seungmin and Yuna danced. She would patiently wait her turn without any distractions. 

“Ah, and so it draws to a close! Quick, Seungmin, there is a place there we may fill,” Yuna pointed excitedly, and so the two walked through the crowds of guests at great speed to fill the open space, sharing a laugh together as they found themselves successful. Almost at once, the music restarted, and they both made matching faces of relief to have made it in time. 

“I do so love this dance,” Yuna said to Seungmin as they met in the middle of the line, and Seungmin laughed as they parted ways again, having to wait a minute until he could reply. 

“As do I, it is very cheerful a dance,” he said in one quick breath, and the sound of their matching laughter echoed above the orchestra as they parted again, as per the dance steps. 

(Seungmin did not at all notice the brown eyes following him wistfully as he moved, nor could any onlooker tell of the way Minho’s heart leapt in his chest at the sound of Seungmin’s free laughter.)

Alas, the two friends did not get much talking done as they danced due to its complexity, but they heartily enjoyed it nonetheless, and decided to stay and dance another song instead of parting and changing partners. Once they had danced another song complete they split from the general dancing vicinity and returned to the table at which Mrs Kim sat with Jisung, to find Changbin and Jisu talking amiably and a blushing Jisung being attended to by a very concerned-looking Mr Hyunjin.

“I am quite alright, I assure you,” Jisung was saying as they drew near, “I just need to rest it. I regret that I have to decline your request to dance tonight, however. I hope that I may make it up to you another time.”

“I shall hold you accountable to your promise,” Hyunjin said solemnly, holding a hand in the air and one to his chest. “But for now - may I attend to your comfort any more? Are you in need of anything? A drink? A cushion?”

“ _ A kiss, perhaps? _ ” Yuna whispered to Seungmin, and he barely held back a loud snort of laughter in response. 

“I promise you I am perfectly comfortable,” Jisung smiled, and Seungmin was sure that he could see the longing in his eyes, “you need not take time out of your evening to tend to an injured man, sir. Let not me come in the way of your festivities!”

“You are doing nothing of the sort, Mr Jisung,” Hyunjin assured him, and looked around to find a spare chair to pull up. Mrs Kim’s eyes widened, and she made a show of getting up from her seat, saying that she had spotted a close friend that she wished to catch up with. Hyunjin took her seat as soon as she was gone, pulling it closer to Jisung and resting his elbows on his knees so as to hear him better.

“Now, Mr Jisung, I do believe we have not had a chance to talk properly since before you left for Discidium Bay! We must talk now, for I have sorely missed your anecdotes.”

“It seems that Jisung shall not be deserted nor neglected tonight, then,” Jisu had risen from her own chair to say, and Changbin joined their small party of three, grinning widely.

“This is a new development. Shall we leave them alone, do you think, and all dance together?”

“That is a marvellous idea,” Yuna agreed, and together they all left the general area to wait by the edges of the dancing to await the start of a new song.

The four of them danced the next one together, and midway through Seungmin realised that tonight was the longest that he had gone this past month together without thinking of the entire ordeal with Mr Minho. He felt freed at the thought, and felt even more energised as he danced, letting joy course through his veins, aided with good company and music. Dancing in itself was freeing, and tonight's dancing was no exception to that rule, however orderly the steps were.

Again the song ended, and Seungmin turned to his friends and Changbin, laughing and applauding the musicians once more for their endeavours, and when Changbin suggested that they go and get a drink to cool down and keep them refreshed for another dance everybody agreed at once, and they set off enthusiastically to find where the punch resided.

The taste was wonderfully fruity, and Seungmin felt refreshed and hydrated right away, going back in for another glass of the stuff to gulp down whilst Changbin drank his in a more controlled manner. It mattered not to Seungmin that he was likely appearing slightly impolite in his fast manner of drinking, for surely people would understand that many people had been dancing that evening, and therefore would be parched after such vigorous exercise, especially in such a warm ballroom.

Successfully hydrated and no longer breathless, the group headed back into the ballroom, where they hoped to dance some more, when Seungmin was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his arm.

"Mr Seungmin," a familiar voice said, and immediately the joy pounding in Seungmin's chest was replaced with hard resolution. "May I have this next dance?"

_ Lee Minho is a gentleman. By these standards I cannot refuse him, _ Seungmin thought desperately, and nodded once. "You may."

"Very well." Minho walked away instantly, and Seungmin groaned, throwing his hands into the air in frustration as Changbin gasped, jaw dropping in shock, and Yuna and Jisu looked on in confusion.

"We know of your first meeting, but surely that should not be enough to warrant such anger, Seungmin?" Jisu asked, every bit as confused as Yuna, as they had neither of them heard about Minho's past proposal to Seungmin.

"I am guessing that they know not of what happened at Choi Lodge?" Changbin asked, and Seungmin shook his head silently, cursing every higher power as the current song came to an end, prompting his immediate removal to the ballroom, lest he slight a gentleman of higher status and ruin his public image.

"Then I shall tell Jisu and Yuna the particular details for you as you dance with Mr Minho. Now go," Changbin said, and sent Seungmin on his way with a pat to his shoulder. Seungmin used the same shoulder to weave in between groups of people, finding Minho already standing at the sidelines in the ballroom, and taking his place opposite him dutifully, hoping that his utmost reluctance would not show on his face for the general public to see.

The music began again, and unlike his previous dances, Seungmin felt not a surge of energy and excitement, but a rush of annoyance at the man who stood so silently across from him, the man who danced silently too, offering no conversation and only stolen glances.

"Will not you talk to me?" Seungmin tried, trying desperately to be the bigger person and move past his painful last memory of the man.

"Of what would you like me to talk about?"

"Anything," Seungmin said, and crossed paths with an acquaintance, as per the dance steps, to whom he offered a small smile as they stepped in time. "You do not talk when you dance?"

"Rarely," Minho said, "I rarely dance at all. Talking whilst dancing even less."

Seungmin heard this, and instead of trying to make meaningless conversation, decided to at least utilise this opportunity to speak to Mr Minho for the greater good, and enquire of Mr Felix for Jeongin's sake instead.

"I heard that Mr Felix has returned back to Camellia Estate and has been there for some time," said he, and Minho did not falter, nor miss a beat, before answering.

"Indeed he is and has been."

"Why did you conceal it from me, when we saw each other in Discidium Bay?"

"I thought it of little matter."

"Little matter when you know very well of his attachment to my brother, and of my brother's attachment to him?"

It pained Seungmin greatly that the next eternity of their dance was spent apart, and that he may not hear Mr Minho's response for a short while. Each step stretched on for years, and he quickly grew frustrated with the lack of response, although it was nobody's fault. Perhaps it would give Mr Minho enough time to generate a decent response.

"I myself know not of Felix's reasons for returning to Camellia, for he told us not of his motives. I have no information to offer," Minho took Seungmin's hand within his own for the next part of their dance, and to his credit, although Seungmin held such negative partisan towards the man, he did have to admit that his hands were perhaps the softest he had ever held. Perhaps he had missed this little detail during his proposal, during which he had been filled with too much shock to register anything other than Mr Minho's words and offer of matrimony.

Seungmin gave no response, and to his surprise Mr Minho spoke again.

"May not we talk of other subjects that do not concern our own families?"

The dance drew to a close and the two bowed to each other. Seungmin nodded civilly and made to walk away, but once more Minho's voice stopped him.

"Wait... please."

Seungmin knew not why he humoured Minho's plead, but he stayed anyway, following the elder gentleman as he walked away from the dancing and led Seungmin into a more secluded area of the room. Where they stood they were partially hidden by a large, velveteen curtain affording Seungmin a grand view of the vast driveway lit by lamps and lined with horses and carriages awaiting their owners' departing.

"I wanted to apologise," Mr Minho said slowly, and Seungmin looked up at him so fast he feared he may have given himself whiplash.

"For which part, exactly?" he could not resist being petty, even if he did immediately feel inexplicably guilty afterwards.

"For... everything. I approached you wrongly from the start, and have been nothing but a complete arse towards you for the entire duration of our acquaintance, yet still expected you to accept my offer of matrimony. I apologise, and hope that you can find peace with this soon."

With that, Minho nodded in finality and walked off, leaving Seungmin feeling stunned, as though he had been kicked in the stomach by a horse. Feeling dazed, he made his way back across the room towards Changbin, Yuna and Jisu, and told them what had happened at once.

"Perhaps he is willing to change his strange ways, for you," Changbin wondered aloud, and Yuna hummed in agreement.

"He must have been thinking of it a great deal, to simply pull you aside and apologise for everything so spontaneously," Jisu suggested, and Seungmin's head spun with everything that had happened; it was almost too much to process at once. Faintly, he registered himself telling the group that he would go and sit back with Jisung for a while whilst he processed everything, and made his way back across the room feeling as uncoordinated as a newborn deer trying to walk within seconds of life.

To his utmost and pleasant surprise, he found Hyunjin still sitting with Jisung, the two of them laughing heartily and seeming almost as if they were on their own private plane of existence as they talked avidly. Seungmin sat next to Hyunjin, as there lay the only spare seat nearby, and tuned into their conversation, listening for a full three minutes until Jisung finally acknowledged his existence with a sound of surprise that prompted Hyunjin to turn and greet him too.

"I am afraid that I shall have to dance with you and your brothers another night, for I am quite occupied with Mr Jisung to-night," said he, and Seungmin laughed quietly, telling him that it was quite alright and thanking him for his attentions towards his injured brother, for it was certainly cheering him up and distracting him from his heinous injury. Jisung gasped loudly and commented on the two discussing him as if he were not present at all, and Seungmin laughed again, this time a little more genuinely. He truly was glad for having so many brothers and friends at times like these; people he was genuinely close to and could trust to cheer him up when he was feeling down or confused instead of having to resort to empty conversation with unreadable strangers which would serve as little to no distraction at all.

From there the night became a blur, and the Kim family only returned home in the early hours of the morning: Mrs Kim vowed that that night had been one of the best and merriest of her life, and even Jeongin had been dragged from his melancholy from his own personal friends and had spent the night dancing and talking in good company.

Seungmin was only too glad when they arrived home, though, and although he had also enjoyed the night an enormous deal he was very glad of the opportunity to sleep for a few hours, and mull over Mr Minho's apology in his head.

Hours later, at around ten in the morning, the whole family sat down to breakfast and discussed the happenings of the ball at length. Mr and Mrs Kim in particular were shocked that Mr Minho had pursued Seungmin in order to apologise to him, although Mrs Kim, as usual, had much more to say about it than her husband.

"Pretentious man! I'll wager he only apologised to put his own mind at rest, Seungmin."

Seungmin had stayed silent on the matter, not knowing nor particularly caring anymore about Mr Minho's original motives for apologising. He was glad to get an apology at all, and did not care for Mr Minho's true reasonings for finally doing so. Now, perhaps he could move on with his life and live peacefully once more.

"I found out from Mr Hyunjin that although he knows not Mr Felix's reasonings for staying at Camellia Estate for so long, it is believed that he shall stay there for a few months complete before returning," Jisung revealed, and Mrs Kim made a loud noise of displeasure.

"That will not do! No, it will not do at all! Jeongin, you must go back to your grandparents and let it be known that you are staying with them. Perhaps if you walk into town every day you might bump into Mr Felix!"

"Mother, I hardly think that necessary," Jeongin said, taking another bite of his toast, "I should be just as at peace if he should simply send a letter here. I cannot send  _ him _ one, since I know not the directions to write on the envelope. If he should write just once... we would have a sufficient answer in itself."

"Nonsense! You shall travel back to Choi Lodge; your grandparents will be delighted to receive you. I leave you with no choice in this matter. I will send a letter this morning, and you shall leave as soon as we receive a reply."

Alas, poor Jeongin was left with no choice but to go alone, for they received a reply within the week and still none from Mr Felix himself. Whilst the servants packed Jeongin's clothes for him he looked on with mixed excitement and sombrement, for he did so love the beach and his time spent at Discidium regardless of the situation regarding Mr Felix, but he did so dearly wish that his brothers could accompany him, too. Regretfully, as per Mrs Kim's word, he had to go alone, as his brothers had  _ no business in Discidium Bay as you do, Jeongin dear. _

He left eight days after the ball, and his family waved him off as the carriage trundled off into the distance. Luckily at least, Jeongin was able to take the carriage instead of going on horseback this time.

"How long will Jeongin be staying for, Mother?" Chan asked as they lost sight of the carriage, and Mrs Kim shook her head.

"Who knows, dear? As long as needs be. If Mr Felix comes back with still no contact with Jeongin then we shall send for Jeongin directly."

"What a mess," Jisung whispered to Seungmin as they headed back inside the house, Seungmin and Jisung hanging back behind everybody else to exchange whispered concerns. "And for Jeongin to be leaving alone, too - will not he be terribly lonely without at least one of us to distract him from everything that is going on? I do feel for him sorely."

"Alas, but we cannot do anything about it," Seungmin returned sadly, "we shall have to resort to pestering him with endless letters to keep his mind distracted and lively. Get your quills and ink at the ready, Jisung, for I will make you write just as much as I, if not more."

"Ah, but my hand always hurts so when I write as much as you - but for our brother I will suffer through the pain."

  
  


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It was only the next day when Seungmin decided to take a lonesome walk into town, wanting to be outside more often now that Jeongin was gone, so that he might have more to tell him about in the letters he planned to write to him. They should be awfully dull if Seungmin were to stay inside all day and do nothing of good use. 

To his mortification and surprise, who should he bump into but Lee Minho, arm in arm with a young girl whose height only barely reached his chest, and whose hair was long and brown, swept up in an elaborate braided bun. Part of Seungmin wanted to turn heel and run, but Mr Minho had already seen him, and was walking towards him with vigour.

“Mr Seungmin! It is a pleasure to see you again,” he said, and Seungmin blinked at the friendliness he suddenly seemed to exude. “This is my sister, Chamni. Chamni, this is Mr Kim Seungmin, whom I have told you about before.”

“Mr Seungmin! I have heard so much about you,” Chumni enthused as she smiled brightly at Seungmin, and he blinked in surprise again.

“It is a pleasure. Mr Minho has told me of you, too: all good things.”

“He has sung your praises every word spoken of you,” Chumni whispered loudly, and Seungmin had to make a physical effort to stop his jaw from dropping to the ground.

“He has? I fear that I am not worthy of such praise in this case,” Seungmin countered, and met Minho’s unreadable eyes with surprise. 

“Oh, no, not at all! -- for in his compliments my brother is always sincere and heartfelt, unlike my other brother Mr Hyunjin, who can be sarcastic at times.”

Minho’s mouth quirked up in a hesitant smile, and Seungmin hastily broke eye contact, looking back down at Chumni, who smiled at him brightly still. 

“Is he indeed?” Seungmin asked quietly, and then Minho took it upon himself to speak again.

“We were just about to visit an eatery, Mr Seungmin. Perhaps you should like to join us?”

Perhaps it was Minho’s apology a few days ago, or the shock of having been complimented by him behind his back, but Seungmin found himself agreeing, albeit with hesitance, and before long the three of them were seated comfortably with food in front of them, smelling incredibly tempting and simply begging to be consumed.

“Mr Minho told me that you do not usually stay with your immediate family; are you on a break from education at the moment?” Seungmin enquired as he picked up his eating utensils. Chumni nodded as she chewed her food, swallowing carefully before answering and reminding Seungmin even in that small act of grace of her strict upbringing. 

“Indeed, sir. My governess has told me that lately I have been excelling so much in my studies that I deserve a break, and so I was permitted to come and stay here for a few weeks.”

“That is marvellous. What do you study?”

“A lot of things, sir. My favourite subjects lie within languages and arts, however: I love reading, and speaking German and Greek, and painting, but am not very musical even  _ when _ I slave away at learning notes and pieces. It is a great shame, for I should love to be able to play the piano eloquently.”

“Even without the ability to play very well you sound incredibly accomplished. Your governess must be quite the slave to your education,” Seungmin said once she had finished speaking, and to his surprise, Chumni shook her head amiably.

“My knowledge of languages in particular stems solely from my brothers, but Minho in particular. Without him I would know nothing of foreign languages, for my governess knows not of them either.”

“You give me too much credit, Chumni, for Hyunjin is fluent in the same languages as I,” Minho held his drinking-glass to his lips, eyeing his little sister fondly. 

“Yes indeed, but he has never been so dedicated and patient as a teacher as you, Minho. Hyunjin knows now how to teach me well, yet you know every method to engage and encourage me, not to mention your endless patience and perseverance.” Chumni turned to Seungmin, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “He is too modest.”

“An ideal elder brother, then,” Seungmin asked, and Chumni nodded vigorously. 

“Have you any siblings?”

“Me? I would have thought that Minho would have told you of them, seeing as he has had such apparent praise to privately shower me with,” Seungmin said, “but yes - I have four brothers, of whom I am the second youngest.”

“Four brothers!” Chumni cried, and Minho cleared his throat quietly next to her, signalling to her to lower her voice; to not seem as excited in public as she currently was. “I have only Minho and Hyunjin - although Mr Felix is as much an elder brother to me as my actual brothers are. In that sense, it seems we are not too different.”

“Indeed we are not, Miss Chumni,” Seungmin allowed himself to smile then, and relaxed under the observant eye of Minho and the talkative eye of Miss Chumni. Unbidden, Minho’s words spoken at Discidium rang in his mind, and he was at once reminded of his opinion of his sister mixing with society at Maplebrook. 

_ Without the strict corset of a good upbringing she will become reckless and common. _

It was truly a wonder, then, that Minho was letting her mix with society here at all, let alone directly with Seungmin, of whom he had strictly labelled common himself.

Once the three had eaten and left the eatery, Chumni begged of her brother that she may visit the shop opposite, and buy a new ribbon to match her new dress, of which Seungmin learned Minho had bought for her, with the fabric personally chosen by Chumni herself and tailor-made to fit her exactly, from the best dressmaker in town. Minho let her go, and he stood with Seungmin outside the shop as they waited for her return. 

“Your sister is a charming girl,” Seungmin commented, no longer for the sake of breaking the silence between them but because he found himself  _ wanting _ to make conversation with Minho, just for the sake of making conversation with him. “I see that you have also taken great care in raising her well.”

“I would like to apologise again for what I said before, particularly in Discidium Bay,” Mr Minho said, looking regretfully at Seungmin. “I have not the talent of conveying easily what I  _ mean _ to say to others, and the result to those who do not know me well often comes out stilted and offensive. I meant no offense at all, and upon further reflection would rather have liked for Chumni to have spent her entire childhood somewhere freer, like here, where she may flourish in the talents of friendliness and not grow up surrounded with the biased snobbery and pride that higher society is often burdened with.”  _ That  _ I _ was burdened with. _

“It seems to me as if she has not taken on any snobbish qualities of her own,” Seungmin replied, watching people pass them on the road opposite, “and indeed, anywhere would be lucky to have her.” he hoped that his words conveyed his silent acception of Mr Minho’s apology. 

It was then that Chumni walked back out of the shop, and the time came for the three to part ways: Seungmin to return to his own home, and Mr Minho and Miss Chumni to theirs. With hearty thanks to Mr Minho for his paying for Seungmin’s meal, for he had not been prepared for so spontaneous a meal and therefore had no money with him at present, they parted, and Seungmin walked the whole way home feeling much lighter than he ever had in the past year together.

Yes, indeed… after this meeting in particular he felt quite decided that perhaps Mr Minho was not as bad as he had thought at all…

Particularly in regards to his sister, and the way she spoke of him so highly; the way he subtly took care of her, and made sure that she had eaten enough of her meal before they stood to leave, and gave her money for her ribbons although she had with her her own little money-pouch to spend. The way he had suddenly become so vulnerable in front of Seungmin and admitted his faults laying within his methods of communication, and vowed to become better…

_ Perhaps I was a little wrong about him after all. _

Of course, none of this erased what Mr Minho had previously said nor done for Seungmin, but it was a start; a fresh slate that wiped his feelings of the previous bitterness and resentment he held for the man.

Perhaps now, the two may meet as indifferent and perhaps friendly acquaintances.

  
  


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All the way in Discidium Bay, Jeongin was feeling mixed emotions of every kind. He sorely missed his brethren, of whom he had never been apart from for more than days at a time, and now after four weeks he was feeling very lonely indeed. His grandparents were great company and very attentive to his every need, but in all truth, they could not hold a candle to the life and humour of which his four brothers brought to every situation. He missed them dearly, and the fact that he had walked into town every day as per Mrs Kim’s instructions in the hopes that he would happen upon Mr Felix, to absolutely no avail at all, only deepened the wound which hurt him so dearly. He wanted to return to Maplebrook, and had sent a letter just that morning in the hopes that he could do so soon. For now, he could only await a reply, and in the meantime, he decided to go for an evening walk along the beach, as the combination of the sunset and the constant sound of the sea was the most soothing thing in times like these.

After bidding his grandparents goodbye for the time being, he walked back into town, making it down to the beach right as the sun began to set, and there he took off his shoes, leaving them by the stone wall that separated the town roads from unlimited sand, and there he began to walk.

He knew not for how long he was walking for, but realised that he had not yet turned back when he turned back to the sea to find that the sun was already half-buried in its evermoving mirror for the night. Surprised that he had not realised the time sooner, he turned back around and began to walk back towards town, not realising just yet that the tide had already turned, and was coming back in thick and fast. 

He was halfway back when he was torn from his thoughts by a particularly loud wave crashing against the shoreline, and looked to his left to see that the sea was now  _ frighteningly _ close to him. He sped up his walking, breaking into a light jog further up the sand to where it was loosely-packed and dry, and warily eyes the line of the beach until he would be able to leave it. For now there were only steep cliff-faces to turn to: for he had walked very far whilst lost in his thoughts, and had not realised how long it might take to get back to safety until it was too late.

The last of the sun dipped below the horizon as the first wave lapped at Jeongin’s feet, and he yelped in fear, breaking into a sprint along the quickly deepening waterline - still there was no break from the cliff-faces he was backed up against, and he had seen for himself how deep the waters could get when the tide came in! Once the waters had risen enough for him to float in them, Jeongin would truly be lost to the sea - and judging by the relentless speeds at which the tide was still coming in, he would not make it back home, ever.

“Help me!” Jeongin yelled loudly, voice cracking as he tried his best to wade through the waters. It felt as if he was running in a dream; trying so hard to escape yet being held back by the treacle-thick forces that held his ankles back from moving far in the salty sea that rushed in and out in harsh waves. “Help…” 

Within five minutes the water was up to Jeongin’s waist, at which point he decided to try and swim back to town - he could barely walk at all in these depths now, and he needed to get back  _ fast _ lest he get dragged by currents and tide forces either out to sea, or be thrust against the rocks cliffs and killed. 

Swimming, he found, was absolutely useless, and served the sole purpose of making him even more of a toy to the tides. As soon as his feet left the sand below him he found that he could not meet it again, and being suspended in the sea he panicked, flailing frantically and inhaling a mouthful of bitter salt. 

“Help,” he cried one last time, right as the town came back into view, and although he felt as though he may be hallucinating the buoy that was thrown into the sea in his direction, he weakly struggled against the tide to get to it, and his heart leapt with little strength as his hands found purchase on thick rope attached to it. 

His senses stayed about him for long enough to allow him to wrap the rope around his hands a few times before a wave knocked him below the surface: he surrendered to the depths.

  
  


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Seungmin was practising his aim at shooting when an express arrived at their house by messenger, the man of which was out of breath and wheezing with the force of his travels. He knew not what he came for, but drew inside quickly, curious as to what could be of such urgency that even the messenger himself could not have rested on his way to bring the letter. His family had never received an express before.

“What does it say, Mother?” Changbin asked as they drew near to her, watching in horror as she read the letter’s contents and gasped loudly, the letter falling from her grip as she collapsed to the floor in grief.

“Mother, what-” Seungmin grabbed it from the floor before anybody else could and skimmed over the words imprinted there before he, too, froze, his blood freezing within him as all time seemed to grind to a halt.

“It is Jeongin.”

“What does it  _ say _ ?” Jisung implored, trying to peer over Seungmin’s shoulder, but Seungmin pressed the letter to his chest, needing to press down on  _ something _ to keep a grip on reality.

“He… he was taking a walk along the beach at night-time and was caught by the tides-”

“He’s dead?” Jisung gasped, eyes filling with tears that spilled down his cheeks within seconds of forming.

“Not dead,” Seungmin whispered, “Somebody saved him. But he is very ill. We must go to him at once.”

“At once, at once,” Mr Kim nodded, looking around the room as if to find his bearings. “Changbin - beckon one of our servants, and tell them to pack our bags at once. I will prepare the carriage and horses. We leave in half an hour.”

“And none of us there to comfort him when he wakes,” Chan whispered, the first words to leave his lips since the announcement. “Oh, dear Jeonginnie… is he  _ very _ ill, do you think?”

“I should think so, or else the letter may not have been an express, as I am sure that neither Jeongin or our grandparents would wish to cause us alarm otherwise,” Seungmin sat down heavily in a chair, staring into space as Jisung leant against his shoulder, unable to stop the tears. “Thank goodness we do not have to pack ourselves…” He was too in shock to do anything, let alone coordinately pack clothes and belongings for a trip of unforeseeable length. 

There was another knock at the door, and Changbin ran to it whilst everybody else sat up straighter, dreading that another express should have arrived right after the first one, bringing even more unspeakable news.

“Mr Minho?” Changbin could be hard saying, and Seungmin almost jumped out of his seat in shock. Thankfully Jisung was still leaning on him, and therefore kept him grounded, otherwise Seungmin may have then been sporting an injury on top of everything else.

“Now is not the time,” Jisung whispered as Minho walked into the room in which Seungmin, Chan and Jisung were still sitting in shock, and his jaw dropped minutely at the sight. Everybody stood up as they saw him, but Minho was quick to wave his hands in dismissal as he took in everybody’s states of being.

“My goodness, is everything alright?”

“We have received dreadful news, Mr Minho,” Seungmin interrupted him, being the most coherent in the room at present. “Jeongin was caught by the tides at Discidium and although he is alive, he is very, very ill. We leave to tend to him in less than half an hour.”

“My goodness,” Minho repeated, looking stunned. “I… I am so sorry. I came here to enquire of Mr Seungmin’s seeing my sister again today upon her request, but I will intrude upon your privacy no more. I wish you all godspeed, and that your brother will recover.”

He stood in place for a moment longer, hesitating, before another of Jisung’s sniffles brought him back to reality.

“Before I take my leave… is there anything I can help with? Loading the carriage, or anything at all?”

Seungmin shook his head, as did Changbin.

“I thank you, no. There is nothing that can be done at present apart from leaving as fast as we possibly can.” Seungmin hates how his voice shook with tears as he spoke, hating the feeling of weakness in front of those that were not his family. 

Not wanting to be in the way of the family’s grievances nor departating, Minho left at once, and for once nobody had anything to say about his appearance nor his words to Seungmin; all and every one much too preoccupied with the fate of their dear youngest brother, of whom they could not look after nor comfort until they had made it down to Discidium.

The minutes felt as if they dwindled down into days as they waited impatiently for the carriage to be packed full of hastily-stuffed suitcases, and at long last they set off for Discidium, riding as fast as they possibly could and not daring to stop for even one night of rest. Sleep could wait when their dearest Jeongin was suffering.

The lack of stops managed to cut their journey down to just two days, Seungmin and Changbin leapt right from their carriage and ran for the steps of Choi Lodge before it had even drawn to a stop, and for once Mr and Mrs Kim did nothing to prevent them. Jisung and Chan were hot on their heels as they sprinted through the Lodge, having been given hasty directions from the first servant they saw, and threw open the door to Jeongin’s bedchambers.

  
  
  


There lay their brother, asleep, looking pale and sickly and frail.

  
  
  
  
  
  


And with him… sat none other than Mr Lee Felix. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE TEMPTATION TO LEAVE U ALL ON A CLIFFHANGER REGARDING JEONGIN'S SURVIVAL WAS GREAT however i would Cry if that happened to me so .... instead u get a suspenseful wait as to how felix found jeongn and who found him to save him in the first place ;))
> 
> also, 2min development!! i promised and delivered. now 2min are on better terms they can start formng a friendship [cough cough - falling in love ;)] so i hope you all enjoyed this chapter! leave a comment letting me know your thoughts! <3


	6. chapter six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I do… I confess that I like it very much,” Jeongin replied, with stars in his eyes. “Everything is so beautiful… indeed, I am quite in awe of everything.”
> 
> “And you think that you could live here? Do you see yourself living here, in the future, with me?”
> 
> “Felix, as long as I am with you, I can visualise myself living out my days anywhere.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alternatively: “ya boi just wanted to take a walk and nearly died” - iconic ao3 user therandomtrees SPOILERS 
> 
> this one's a DOOZY but hEY you all get the 2min and jeonglix bonding you were hoping for so ;)))) let's get straight to it

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Mr Felix in all of his glory, sitting at Jeongin’s bedside and watching anxiously over him as he slept. 

Seungmin’s first instinct was to talk to Jeongin and voice their arrival, but he stopped himself at the last moment, deciding not to disturb the fitful way he was resting, propped up on pillows and covered with a thick blanket whilst a fire raged in the fireplace a few steps away. Changbin evidently thought the same as his brother, and the two of them made haste to the other side of the bed, where they sat opposite Mr Felix and silently met his eyes across the bed over their sleeping brother.

Jisung, however, had other ideas.

“Jeongin?” He said loudly as he rushed through the door, Chan hot on his heels and shushing him loudly, to no avail. It was too late: the damage was done, and Jeongin jolted awake at once. 

“I am sorry,” Jisung whispered apologetically as the three hunched over Jeongin looked up to glare at him, and was much quieter in his manner of sitting down at the foot of the bed, where Chan joined him immediately. Faintly, the group could hear Mr and Mrs Kim drawing near: Mrs Kim the loudest by far of anyone, and in a way, it was rather a blessing that Jeongin should bink awake to an atmosphere of apologetic, tentative silence than one of Mrs Kim’s frenzied screaming.

“Seungmin,” Jeongin croaked, seeing Seungmin first, and reached out a weak hand that Seungmin grasped tightly right as Mrs and Mr Kim rounded the corner, entering Jeongin’s chambers and demanding the room’s entire presence as they did so.

“Jeongin, dear boy,” Mrs Kim gasped as she rushed to Jeongin’s side, and effectively knocked both Seungmin and Changbin right out of her way as she did so, talking about how  _ her son needs his mother, _ and how his brothers would not be as beneficial as her presence. Judging by the way Jeongin visibly winced at her loud volumes, her words were untrue and empty, knownst to everybody apart from herself. 

To everybody’s simultaneous confusion and relief, Mr Felix was neither mentioned nor acknowledged by Mrs Kim until the doctor that Mrs Choi had sent for arrived back to tend to their youngest, at which point the Kim family had been back at Choi Lodge for another few hours, and the Chois themselves had been in and out of the room offering company and assistance as Jeongin drifted in and out of consciousness, not saying many words together in the short periods of time in which he was awake at all. The sweat on his skin gave him a glossy sheen that was not at all attractive, for who  _ was _ attractive when incredibly feverish? - and when he slept he would occasionally jerk from to side to side in fitful discomfort. 

Their doctor informed them that Jeongin, although he looked incredibly ill as was, had made an improvement to the first few days after being pulled from the sea, as it had been five days together since the fateful incident already. It pained Seungmin to know that his brother had passed the worst of his shock and illness without the comfort of his family to help him through it, but he hoped that Mr Felix had been with him the whole time, and knew for a fact that his grandparents would have given Jeongin their every assistance in the blink of an eye. 

Given the fact that Mrs Kim had conducted every conversation since their arrival and had not let her sons, nor Mr Felix, get a single word in edgeways it befell Seungin that he should only get the chance to talk to Mr Felix once the doctor had left, giving the household instructions to leave Jeongin to sleep alone for a while, that he might not feel the presence of others and feel the need to wake himself to behold them when the thing he needed most was steady rest. 

“Mr Felix,” Seungmin broke into a jog towards the other man, who had sat down next to the bedroom door on a wooden chair placed there for convenience. “How do you do?”

“I am worried sick for your brother,” Mr Felix answered truthfully, and the two forewent any other formalities in order to get to the matter at hand more swiftly. “You are likely wondering how long I have been with him - to which I say, the entire five days. It was, fortunately or unfortunately, I, who pulled him from the waters that night. I have not left Choi Lodge since.”

Seungmin gasped - although he had been hoping for this answer, he had in no way been expecting it. Although his entire being burned with the urge to ask questions related to Mr Felix’s whereabouts and reasons for radio silence all these months, he held back, knowing that it was not his place to inquire. Instead, he asked of Jeongin’s initial state, and what he had been through before his family made it to Choi Lodge.

“He was… unconscious when we pulled him from the sea,” Mr Felix explained, and Seungmin felt the palpable pain in his eyes as he spoke of the, no doubt traumatising, event. “He was frozen; his skin discoloured. I really did fear the worst… he slept fitfully, like you saw today, only tenfold for the first three days, not waking up even once, and the doctor told us to prepare for the worst. But then, on the fourth day, just yesterday, he woke up.”

“Gracious,” Seungmin whispered, so affected by Mr Felix’s retelling of his brother’s previous state that he had not realised the rest of his brothers listening in from across the hall. Thankfully his parents were not currently present, and had left for the kitchens to make tea to drink as they waited. “Poor Jeongin…”

“He seemed easier once he was informed of your coming,” Mr Felix reassured him gently, “and now that he is awake and able to eat and drink, even in small amounts, we can hope that his fever soon will break.”

“I do hope so… he looks awful,” Seungmin thought aloud, and he rubbed his hands up and down his arms to regain feeling in his limbs that now felt numb from worry. “Is he -- is he now… out of the woods?”

“There is no certain way of telling just yet,” Mr Felix whispered as he turned his eyes to the ground. “I think you should be the next to enter, Seungmin.”

Seungmin startled minutely. “Enter his room? But the doctor said to leave him be-”

“He will feel easier with you, Seungmin, for you two are the closest,” Mr Felix insisted, and pushed Seungmin towards the door separating them all from Jeongin. “Go, and watch over him. I shall try and make sure that an overwhelming amount of guests do not come in at one time, as per the doctor’s orders.”

Perhaps Mr Felix should like to know another small detail about Jeongin, one that might help him recover faster and in more comfort. “Mr Felix, are you aware that Jeongin is particularly fond of music?”

Mr Felix blinked in surprise at the sudden topic movement, and nodded slowly. “He did tell me so a few months ago, I believe, at the ball first we met at.” 

“And know you of the pianoforte that lies just outside of this hallway?” Seungmin was no stranger to the fact that Mr Felix was musical, and took great pleasure in playing the instruments he had learned - he personally remembered both Mrs Lee’s praising Mr Felix for his talents at a ball once, as well as Jeongin’s fond retelling of Mr Felix’s music passion following one of their walks into town in the winter.

“There is?” Mr Felix scratched the back of his head nervously, and Seungmin pointed to the door behind which lay the grand instrument in all of its glory. 

“If you were to, perhaps, leave this door open, then Jeongin may be able to hear you playing through his own door,” Seungmin smiled lowly, “it might encourage his health, or boost his mood a little, if you would be so kind as to consider playing for him.”

“That is a capital idea, Mr Seungmin, I thank you,” Mr Felix smiled, and although his eyes were tired they held within them a certain light that only stemmed from hope and purpose. Perhaps Seungmin was doing good for Mr Felix as well as Jeongin in his suggestion. 

Wordlessly Seungmin re-entered Jeongin’s chambers as Mr Felix pushed open the opposite door to search for the pianoforte, and once Seungmin had closed the door behind him he all but rushed back to Jeongin’s bedside, sitting down beside him and settling himself comfortably for what he prepared to be a good few hours at the very least, until Jeongin would next wake. 

He scanned the room with his eyes, noticing vases of camellias, peonies and lilies positioned on the bedside, right where the sun shone in through the vast windows, and a glass of water at Jeongin’s disposal next to it. Placing a gentle hand on Jeongin’s forehead, he winced externally to find the skin there clammy and hot. It would certainly not be of any comfort for Jeongin to stay this way, and so Seungmin made his way to the wash-basin opposite the fire, where he also found folded cloth and linen, and soaked them in the cold water there to lay upon his brother’s forehead and neck in an effort to cool him down a little. 

If the way Jeongin sighed in his sleep was of any indication, it certainly worked, if only in the manner of making him a little more comfortable.

Seungmin smiled to himself privately as the beginning notes of piano music, gracefully played, began to travel through the door in tranquil harmonies. It was quiet; certainly too quiet to pierce Jeongin’s slumber, but loud enough for him to hear once he awoke.

It did indeed take a number of hours for Jeongin to awaken again, but this time he awoke only to Seungmin, and not to a room full of loud people and concerned faces crowded around his bed, and for that he was relieved and grateful, although he had not the strength to vocalise that in his present state. 

“Jeongin,” Seungmin whispered, so as to not startle him, and stood to retrieve the glass of water, so that he might help Jeongin drink from it. “How are you feeling?”

“Weak,” Jeongin mumbled before he took a sip, and Seungmin’s heart sank at the implication and double meaning. 

“You are not weak, Jeongin,” Seungmin said as he returned the glass to its rightful place, and sat upon the bed next to Jeongin instead of the chair at his bedside, so that his words might have more meaning by means of physical comfort. “You are so, so strong.”

Strong, strong Jeongin - he who had endured months of silence and melancholy once Mr Felix had fallen silent, and who had then survived being caught by the tides at night and was now resting, vulnerable and open to his doctor, entire family,  _ and _ Mr Felix himself? It was not as if he could have helped any of these listed events, but the determination Jeongin must have possessed to have him stubbornly shoulder through everything until now astonished Seungmin - if it were himself in this position, he was sure he would be driven quite mad by everything.

“I am glad that you are here,” Jeongin whispered, and with slow movements, took one of Seungmin’s hands within both of his own, patting once before letting his hands go limp once more. Seungmin was sure that that singular action must have taken much effort. 

“As am I… how we have missed you. So much has happened since you have been gone…” Seungmin stopped himself from speaking of his new experiences with Mr Minho and his sister, for he knew not whether Jeongin would be awake enough to want to hear him out, but one glance from his brother had him telling Jeongin everything immediately: how Mr Minho apologised again in town, and how Seungmin had dined with himself and his sister, no less! Not to mention how easier and friendlier the gentleman had been, too, especially in the presence of his sister: indeed, it had baffled Seungmin, and now he was all too happy to finally tell Jeongin what he had not managed to write down in a letter to him already, and take Jeongin’s mind off his present state.

“A lot has happened, then,” Jeongin said slowly once Seungmin finally took it upon himself to breathe again. 

“Indeed it has, brother; so much and you have not been here to experience it with us. Oh, how I missed having you with me to talk to and relay each day to of an evening,” Seungmin said wistfully, and patted Jeongin’s hand again with gentle movements. “But now we are reunited, so you must recover fast, so that we may dance through life again!”

  
“Dance through life,” Jeongin repeated as the hints of a smile caressed his features, “indeed we shall... Now that you are here, and the whole family... I have even more reasons to recover.”

“Then I beg that you would save your breath to cool your porridge, and rest now, instead of talking,” Seungmin teazed him gently, and fluffed up the pillows around Jeongin’s head with ease. “Sleep. I, or somebody else, will be here with you when you awaken.”

And so Jeongin did, and it only took him a moment to slip away into dreamland, giving lead for Seungmin to believe that he was a great deal more exhausted than he let on, even in sickness. After an hour had passed he was forced to leave the room in favour of Mrs Kim sitting with Jeongin instead, and he watched with humour as Jisung and Changbin slipped in after her, and refused in hushed whispers to leave until Jeongin next awoke, so that they may observe him themselves, and determine his state for their own. Chan, on the other hand, sat with Seungmin, Mr Kim and the Chois in the parlour, as they read the newspaper and shared smalltalk to pass the time. 

Mr Felix played well into the evening, and only stopped when he was told by Chan to come away from the piano and eat something. Once he had eaten, he returned directly to Jeongin’s bedside, wherefrom nobody could persuade him to leave, and so he continued to sit there as Choi Lodge grew silent and dark, until he slumped over in exhaustion-induced slumber onto the bed, half-out of his chair, and there he stayed, until he next awoke.

  
  


*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

The entire household was sleeping; it was in the early hours of the morning, right before dawn but far enough away from the time for the sky to still be swathed in black, shrouding every object in darkness. Jeongin awoke with a jolt, and blinked back into consciousness as he studied his surroundings, his eyes slowly adjusting to the dark and his memory slowly catching up on the days’ events thus far. His family were here, and Seungmin had been sitting with him until long past their usual bedtime, where he had taken his leave right as Jeongin’s eyes had irrevocably slipped shut, weighed down with the newness of the day’s experiences. That was all he remembered - but then now there was a figure slumped over his bed, and a warm weight keeping his hand from moving against the blankets. 

Jeongin struggled to sit up a little - his mind felt thankfully clearer now; his body less feverish and whilst he still shook with a high temperature, he found he finally had the strength to sit up properly. As he did so, he blinked a few times in quick succession, finally being able to make out a familiar head of hair when a cloud moved from its position shading the moon and the person sleeping at what seemed to be a very painful angle’s features were finally illuminated, bathed in silver.

Mr Felix.

This was nothing new to Jeongin, as Mr Felix had refused to leave his side from the instant he had rescued Jeongin from the sea that fateful night. The memory still served to make Jeongin shiver, remembering the icy chill that had clawed through his skin as he was swept away by an earthly force that much outdid any of his own personal strengths; he had really thought that he would die that night. He only remembers waking up goodness knows how long after, in the selfsame room that he was in now, with the faces of a strange doctor, Mrs Choi, and Mr Felix looming over him worriedly. 

He knew not whose face shocked him the most.

Whilst Jeongin had barely spoken a word together throughout his recovery thus far, Mr Felix had said a great deal: in fact, Jeongin rather thought that this afternoon, when Seungmin had tended to him, had been the longest Mr Felix had ever left his side these five days together. Only ever leaving to eat or tend to bodily nature, Mr Felix had kept a watchful and tentative eye on Jeongin’s condition, and had talked to him in gentle tones when he was awake; monitoring him as he slept, making sure that he was never in any discomfort more than necessary and observing his temperature and intake. Indeed, he had been pleasantly caring and sweet - if Jeongin was not so terribly ill he might have felt guilty for taking up so much of Mr Felix’s time. But for now, in his weakened state, he allowed himself to be selfish, and relish in Mr Felix’s unadulterated attention after so long apart.

He sat there, propped up against his pillows, watching as Mr Felix peacefully slept, holding onto Jeongin’s hands with both of his own. His face, pressed into the blankets on top of Jeongin’s mattress, looked almost painfully angled; his cheek spread across the material beneath his face and his lips parted ever so slightly in the process. The moonlight illuminating his face made his freckles stand out even more so than usual, and perhaps it was Jeongin’s fever talking, but he looked positively otherworldly, and Jeongin wanted nothing more than to reach out and trace every single one of them, and map them out as if Mr Felix’s face were his own map of navigation. 

Alas: he could not. As attentive as Mr Felix had been to him this past week, Jeongin still knew not where he stood with the elder man. Reaching out to touch him more than by the hand that was holding him as of now seemed too intimate; as much as Jeongin wanted things to change, Mr Felix remained as untouchable as ever. 

And there he stayed, watching and observing as carefully as Mr Felix had done to him this past week, and stored the images and memories close to his heart as possible, lest he forget them again when Mr Felix inevitably left upon his recovery. 

Jeongin was not a simpleton: he knew Mr Felix’s reasons for staying revolved solely around his recovery, and likely were formed out of guilt after saving him. If these past months of silence had taught him anything, it was to be cautious, and to not assume regard unless it was physically verbalised: as Mr Felix really had not left him with any regard or promises before the Kims had first left to Discidium those few months ago, Jeongin knew that logically, it was foolish to hope. There was one time, in the past, where he would have hoped, even been excited, to see this sight every night: Mr Felix’s sleeping face, illuminated by the moonlight, although perhaps in this ideal scenario they would lay together in the same bed, and not have Mr Felix kneeling by his bed with worry, and fall asleep there accidentally. Now, he was wisened, and knew that it was unlikely to ever be the case.

He sighed, and made to lay back down, pulling his hand gently out of Mr Felix’s as he did so, trying not to feel the loss of warmth too sorely. As he shifted, trying to lay back down again, he must have jostled the bed too much, for the next thing he knew he was greeted with the sight of Mr Felix’s face in its entirety as he, too, sat up and blinked awake.

Mr Felix woke up with much more haste once he observed Jeongin’s conscious state, and the fact that he had clearly moved further during the night than he ever had these past five days together.

“Mr Jeongin,” Mr Felix all but gasped as he took in the way Jeongin was sitting upright, “I am all astonishment. Are you feeling any better?” At once he leaned forward to check upon Jeongin’s temperature with the back of his hand, and although Jeongin’s skin was slightly sticky from his fever sweating, he found with excitable surprise that Jeongin’s fever had in fact broken; whilst he still had a temperature it was no longer as high nor as serious as his previous fever that had made him shiver and shake so worryingly throughout the past few days. 

“A little,” Jeongin said, and made to sit back up properly again, reversing his movements of laying back down, enjoying the way the headboard felt as he leaned his head back against it. “I do wish that you would sleep in an actual bed, Mr Felix; it must be so uncomfortable to sleep here like this.” This was the longest sentence he had constructed all week, and his own acknowledgement of this was reflected back in Mr Felix’s eyes as he stared up at Jeongin. 

“But I would not be able to assist you, should you need me, if I were in a separate room,” Mr Felix replied in earnest, leaning just a fraction closer in his enthusiasm of speech. “I am at your complete and utter disposal.” 

Jeongin suddenly felt wide awake, the feeling of alertness foreign and strange in comparison to his previous fatigue. He found himself wanting to speak more;  _ having _ the strength to speak more, and so with Mr Felix awake he indulged. 

“I would not have you so,” he whispered as his fingers picked at the embroidery on his quilt, “for I do not need to be pitied.”

“This has nothing to do with pity,” Felix whispered back incredulously, “for I am solely devoted to you and wish to see you make a full recovery whilst I help you to do so as best I can.”

Jeongin wished he could fully believe Mr Felix, but what was his devotion when he had not even sent a single letter to Jeongin these past months together?

Perhaps the residual illness was making him bold, but he felt the need to express these frustrations, and have them out in the open, if not only for his own peace of mind for having spoken them. He pushed the words out before he could think better of it.

“I would rather not that your devotion stem solely from my accident and resulting illness, Mr Felix.”

Mr Felix’s eyes blew wide at Jeongin’s words, and he gasped aloud before he could help himself. “Indeed, it does not! Whatever gave you that impression?”

“Only the silence that I endured, sir, lasting from our last meeting to that night of near-tragedy five days ago. Your… lack of communication, as it were, led me to believe you cared not for me anymore. Now that you refuse to leave my side I must draw the only conclusion my mind allows: that you feel guilty for having been the one to rescue me, and must now fulfil your duty of seeing me healthy once more before you are to leave again. Forgive me.”

Mr Felix looked positively aghast as Jeongin spoke, so much so that the younger man immediately regretted letting any of those words leave his mind, and the safe haven of his mind, and wished at once for a way to reverse time so that he might lock them back up again, never to leave his own thought process.

“Mr Jeongin, I am so sorry,” Mr Felix whispered, and Jeongin’s heart sank. 

“Do not be sorry,” he replied, but Mr Felix interrupted him before he could speak any further.

“No, you must let me apologise, I beg of you,” Mr Felix continued, sitting up straight so that he might look Jeongin straight in the eyes to reach full sincerity. “It was not my intention to leave you wondering in silence for so long: no, not at all. If you would let me explain I should have this ordeal cleared up within the hour.”

Ignoring the way tiredness had already begun to seep back into his bones, Jeongin nodded wordlessly, and shifted a little, making himself more comfortable as Mr Felix began to speak again.

“You see… in our last meeting, back at Maplebrook, I had told you that, if I were ever to return to Camellia Estate, it would be in order to marry and settle down. Once I had left that day I was resolved to do just that, and after a careful week of planning, left at once for Camellia Estate, so that I may see it cleaned and furnished at once, after so many years of emptiness.”

Mr Felix stopped and took a deep breath, wetting his lips with his tongue before he spoke again. Jeongin listened in enraptured silence the entire time, knowing not what to make of things until he had the full story and picture.

“I had been back at Camellia for a full week, of which was full of tasks and jobs so arduous and of great importance that I could catch no break to write to you through my servants asking questions, arrangements having to be made, and the like. It was eight days’ along when I was visited by my cousin and her family, who had heard of my being in town and wanted to stay a while, as we have not seen each other these three years together. Although the workload around the Estate had lessened through everybody’s valiant efforts, my cousin’s children, who are all less than seven years of age, are very demanding and I am afraid that they had commandeered almost every spare moment I had.

Whilst I could not find the time to write without being leapt upon by one little body or another, I  _ did _ walk into town whenever I had the chance, in hopes of meeting you there unexpectedly.”

Oh, it was unfortunate indeed that their paths had not crossed. Perhaps Jeongin would not be in his sorry state now if only they had even one chance to talk during the Kims’ first stay at Discidium.

“It was with great regret that I did not. I thought I should have finally had some time to write to you once you had returned to Maplebrook as that was when my cousin’s family had intended to return to their own home, but my dear cousin, heavily pregnant as she was, fell into early labour just two days before their intended leave. Of course, they stayed at my estate until she had recovered well enough to travel, but again, it took a great while before I was free enough to write to you - indeed, the family had only left the day before I found  _ you _ , dear Jeongin.”

_ Dear Jeongin _ . A spark of hope flared back up within Jeongin’s chest once more, and he found himself finally possessing the strength to return Mr Felix’s eye contact, finding nothing but softness and truth lying within them.

Mr Felix half-laughed as he spoke his next words. “Indeed, I had not expected that one could ever be so busy that they could not write even a simple letter, but that was indeed the case: and it was one that filled me with guilt that only grew every day that I could not reach you for. I suppose that I should have mentioned this to you earlier, Jeongin, but..” 

Jeongin prompted his sentence to continue after Mr Felix tapered off with a certain kind of uncertainty. “But…?”

“My motive in returning to Camellia Estate in the first place was to refurbish and take care of it, so that at the first place I could… bring  _ you _ to it, my dear one, and show you the grounds, and gain your approval in the hopes that one day we may be wed there.”

Curse Jeongin’s illness, for he felt as though he might faint at the rate his heart leapt at Mr Felix’s words. Perhaps he would feel that way no matter his state or scenario, to hear Mr Felix speak of such things; indeed, he felt as though he certainly would have. Despite the unadulterated joy that started a fiery furnace burning within his chest as he processed what Mr Felix had said, still he could not quite believe it.

“So that we may wed there?” he whispered back to Mr Felix, unable to choose his own words and so repeating the elder’s back to him. 

“Yes, Jeongin.” Mr Felix shuffled forward on the bed, so that he might take Jeongin’s hands within his own and rub his thumbs over the backs of his hands comfortingly. “This is not yet a marriage proposal, for I should like to propose to you when you are well again, but… this is a  _ promise _ of that, if you should still want me after everything that has happened these past few months. For I am not in the least ashamed to admit right here and now that I am in love with you, and wish for the entire world to know it too.”

“ _ Oh, _ ” Jeongin whispered, and found that he had nothing else to say, for this had been the least thing he was expecting to be declared, this fine clear night. “Oh…”

“Perhaps I should not have told you everything when you are so ill,” Mr Felix looked just a tad regretful as he turned to face the window, hiding his face from Jeongin’s sight. But that would not do, certainly not: with new strength found in Mr Felix’s love declaration and eternal promise, Jeongin reached out a hand to place upon Mr Felix’s shoulder, prompting him to turn back around, and smiled at him tenderly.

“I may not be at my strongest right now…” Jeongin paused to take a breath, “but you were by no means in the wrong by telling me that… now, my mind is perfectly at ease.”

“Then I am glad to hear it,” Mr Felix beamed for the first time Jeongin had seen in months, and  _ oh _ how his heart leapt at the sight. “Now, I recommend that you rest, so that you may recover sooner.” The spoken promise of a marriage proposal once Jeongin was back to good health danced between them both, and Jeongin found himself nodding right away, laying back down as Mr Felix fussed over him, his hair falling over his eyes as he leant down to make sure that Jeongin was laying as comfortably as possible, tucking the quilts up around Jeongin’s shoulders and pushing his hair back from his face as he whispered sweet nothings into the night.

“Rest well then, dear Jeongin; I hope that this slumber in particular is more peaceful than any other thus far,” Mr Felix said softly, as he made to sit back in the uncomfortable wooden chair next to Jeongin’s bed once more. 

“Goodnight, Mr Felix,” Jeongin bid him, and then he realised all of a sudden that he had not yet reassured the man of his returning his feelings, which would never do. He must tell him at once. “I love you, too.” 

“Please just call me Felix,” Felix whispered, and then he leant back down, pressing the chastest of kisses to Jeongin’s forehead. Jeongin sighed in contentment and let his eyes flutter shut at the feeling; surely this was a scandalous thing to happen but since they were already promised to each other now, Jeongin could feel no embarrassment nor will to pull away within himself. 

“Thank you… Felix.”

Felix could not resist but to lean down again and let his lips linger upon Jeongin’s forehead just once more, before he sat back down in his chair, turning his head so that he might observe the state of the night outside. Dawn was just beginning to break, and the sky had lightened considerably in the time since Jeongin had first awoken that night. 

Jeongin slightly regretted not yet being able to return Felix’s physical affections, and he longed to sit back up, so that he may press his own lips to Felix’s cheek, or perhaps his forehead too, but exhaustion had long since been invading his body and so he contented himself with the new purpose to recover as fast as he could, so that he might regain the strength to leave his bed, and walk around the grounds at Choi Lodge with Felix, and perhaps even pull him into a secluded area where he could whisper everything he had been wanting to tell him these past few months… how he loved him so, and how happy he now was to have the promise of their engagement just around the corner.

For now, however, he laid back against his pillows, and decided to dream of those things instead, before those dreams become reality: which of course, he had now been promised that they would. He smiled smally to himself at the thought.

“Sleep well, Jeongin.”

  
  


*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

The next day held many surprises for all involved: upon first waking up, Seungmin had been the first in his family to leave his sleeping quarters, and had dressed himself as swiftly as possible so that he might visit his brother, and check up on his condition, before breakfast.

What he certainly had  _ not _ been expecting was to see Mr Felix, slumped over in deep slumber with his head on the bed, next to Jeongin’s left hand, of which he was holding onto like a lifeline even  _ in _ dreamland. Jeongin himself was already awake, gazing down at the man asleep on his bed with fondness, and as Seungmin pushed open the door with the lightest of squeaks from its hinges, Jeongin looked up, his face brightening into a huge grin to see Seungmin standing there.

“Seungmin,” he whispered, holding his free hand out as Seungmin crossed the room in all but a handful of steps to take it. He felt Jeongin’s head for a temperature, and was pleased beyond belief to find that his fever had indeed broken throughout the night, and with pleasure he noted that his brother’s eyes had a hint more clarity to them, and were no longer fogged and misted with illness that made his mind feel woolen.

“Jeongin, your fever has broken,” Seungmin told him as he sat down, and Jeongin nodded happily, eyes crinkling. 

“Indeed it has - it did so earlier tonight, but that was not the only good thing to happen, Seungmin,” he whispered, careful of the man still sleeping on the opposite side of the bed to Seungmin. 

Needless to say, Seungmin had already guessed what had happened from Jeongin’s expression alone; although it was dulled by his illness he looked happier than he ever had since their first visit to Discidium, and Seungmin suspected the way he had not pulled his hand away from Mr Felix’s hold also gave good indication to the event of which he was referencing.

“Tell me,” Seungmin said back lowly, and could hardly contain his joy for his brother as Jeongin whispered the events of the previous night to him in as low a tone as he could muster, which was not too low at all, considering the amount of times he got visibly excited, and his voice had raised a few decibels in volume. 

“Oh, Jeongin, we had all hoped as such,” Seungmin murmured back to his brother as Jeongin finished his spiel, “and to think it was all for you in the first place, and now you have a solid promise of engagement waiting for you! I am so, so happy.”

“And I, Seungmin,” Jeongin beamed, and Seungmin returned the expression as he reached for the glass of water on the bedside for Jeongin to drink from. “I do not think that I have ever been so happy in all of my life… oh, if everybody could feel as happy as I am…”

“You deserve every ounce of it,” Seungmin replied in earnest as Jeongin sipped his water. Mr Felix was still somehow sleeping peacefully, and Seungmin did not want to risk disturbing him, for it was evident that neither he nor Jeongin would have gained much sleep last night, if the excitement and chatter was anything to go by, and so he bid goodbye to Jeongin and headed for the dining-room, where the Choi’s servants were bustling about as they readied the breakfast-table. 

He sat down, wanting to be ready for the rest of his family to arrive, and although he intended not to tell them of the events that had taken place between Jeongin and Mr Felix, he did intend to stop them before they entered Jeongin’s room unannounced, and disrupted the peace within there. Both men looked exceptionally tired this morning, even as Mr Felix himself had slept, and Seungmin would rather him not wake up to surprised screaming from Mrs Kim, or loud teasing from Changbin or Jisung. For now, he would do their best to make sure they had their moment.

The last thing he expected that morning was to be borne yet  _ another _ surprise, but once more, this one was not entirely  _ unwelcome _ , so to say: rather, he was met with the figure of none other than Mr Lee Minho entering the room after he had been sat down a few moments, and he sprung from his chair at once, blinking hard, lest he was dreaming or hallucination an entire person from the sleep he had lost the night prior.

“Mr Minho,” Seungmin said, shocked almost out of his wits. “Forgive me - what are you doing here?”

“Not long after I got home after my visit to your home my family, too, were greeted with a letter from Choi Lodge informing us of Felix’s having discovered Jeongin and caring for him at present. I came as soon as we were informed; surely Felix will appreciate a more familiar face, or somebody to take care of his estate, so long as he stays here to tend to Mr Jeongin.” 

“Oh -- that is very good of you - did he ask for you directly?”

“No, rather he informed us of the situation so that we should know directly from him, and not from gossip or newspapers. I came anyway, as in situations such as these, one can never have enough help.”

_ Oh _ . Mr Minho had indeed come purely from the kindness of his own heart - and whether he were to stay at Choi Lodge or keep Camellia Estate as his own for a while, Seungmin knew not. Either way, he felt strangely happy at the prospect of seeing him around until Jeongin made a recovery. 

“How are you, Mr Seungmin?”

I am well, I thank you,” Seungmin replied, “I am very happy to report that Jeongin’s fever broke in the night, and now he is a great deal more lively than when we first arrived. From here I hope that we shall see steady, swift progress.”

“That is fantastic to hear,” Minho smiled, and Seungmin’s heart skipped a beat at the sight. Perhaps he got less sleep than he originally thought last night. 

“Have you eaten yet?”

“No; I came here as soon as I arrived.”

“Pray, eat with us here. Mr Felix is not yet awake, and I am sure that you would not wish to wake him with every effort he has gone to to care for Jeongin these past few days.”

“No, indeed. I thank you kindly.” Sitting down in the seat opposite Seungmin’s, Minho settled back into silence, but for once, Seungmin did not find the silence between them both awkward, or leaving anything wanting. Rather - it was comfortable, and he found himself basking in it. 

Strange. 

But not unwelcome…

“Later I will travel down to Felix’s estate, to check up on its state and make sure that everything is still being looked after as it should be,” Mr Minho said suddenly, leaning forward in his seat as his arms braced himself on the table, on either side of his plate. “Would you care to join me, for a change of scenery?”

“So long as Mr Felix consents to my seeing his estate without his presence, I have no objections,” Seungmin considered aloud, and nodded in consent. Indeed, he should very much like to stay with Jeongin all day, but he knew that would be unobtainable; with the added company of the rest of his family additions combined with the doctor’s orders to not crowd Jeongin’s quarters whilst he recovered making the idea of staying with Jeongin all day impossible. In any case, he would be glad of the distraction. 

“Magnificent. Once he is awake I shall ask him directly.”

It was then that Mr Kim entered the dining-room, and did a complete double-take at the sight of Mr Minho occupying one of the seats there, and much more so at the sight of himself and Seungmin talking amiably, as if their past meetings had not affected them at all. Indeed, Seungmin had neglected to tell his family of his meeting Mr Minho and his sister in town when they had eaten together, and so they knew not of their newly reconciled terms; the last things they had heard, apart from Jeongin, had been when Mr Minho had apologised to Seungmin at the ball at Evergreen Manor, and nothing since.

“Mr Minho,” Mr Kim greeted with neutral airs, sitting down at the head of the table as Mr Minho stood from his seat at once.

“Greetings, Mr Kim. I trust that you are well?”

“I am indeed,” Mr Kim replied, and that was that: he saw no use in acting coldly if his son was showing no signs of discomfort, for he trusted Seungmin’s mannerisms over most others, and could recognise them well, too. Mrs Kim could decidedly not say the same, and greeted Mr Minho with shock that was swiftly followed with a cold air of grudge-bearing, but that was of little matter once Changbin, Chan and Jisung entered the room, followed lastly by Mr and Mrs Choi, for at that point the room had gained the residual background chatter of the whole family that had quite drowned out any negative energy hat Mrs Kim was harbouring.

Mr Minho spoke solely to the Kim brethren for lack of being spoken to by any of his elders, apart from the Chois, who greeted him warmly and gratefully. With each brother around the table he made amicable conversation, which surprised everyone apart from Seungmin, but pleasantly so, and suddenly they all felt themselves bearing a little more warmth towards the man who had caused such chaos within their family; within Seungmin’s life in particular. 

“Mr Minho - forgive my asking, but is Mr Hyunjin perhaps with you?” Jisung asked after a few minutes of having greeted Mr Minho, and the elder gentleman had shaken his head, and informed Jisung that Mr Hyunjin had stayed at Evergreen Manor with their sister for the time being. Jisung, looking quite dejected, had nodded his acknowledgement, raising many more suspicions from his brothers about their theory of his feelings towards Mr Hyunjin. Nobody spoke on it, however, and decided to wait for Jisung to tell them directly, as was the best way of finding these kinds of things out.

Although everybody had their questions, for once the subject was left blissfully untouched, and Mr Minho wasted no time in checking on Mr Felix and Jeongin once everybody had finished their breakfast: he was the first into Jeongn’s room, and stayed in there for quite some time before he emerged. Seungmin, who had contented himself with walking around the grand gardens of Choi Lodge, had found himself back in the rose-gardens in which Mr Minho had first proposed to him when Mr Minho emerged from the Lodge and happened upon him.

“Ah, Mr Seungmin - I was just looking for you,” Mr Minho said as they both turned the same corner and almost bumped into each other physically, narrowly missing a head-on collision. Mr Minho looked around them awkwardly, clearly reliving the same events as Seungmin was, although with what feelings he looked upon them with, Seungmin knew not. At long last he cleared his throat and looked away, reaching an arm out to point towards the roads leading away from Choi Lodge. 

“I just received express permission from Felix to bring you with me to Camellia Estate to check up on things: he said that he trusted your good opinion as much as he does mine. Shall we depart now?”

“That sounds fine,” Seungmin agreed, and together they set off, side by side before they separated to mount their individual horses that had been provided by Mr Choi. Seungmin laughed to himself as he thought of how jealous Jisung would be when he realised Seungmin had been riding horses without him, and made an internal promise to take Jisung horseback-riding with him once Jeongin had recovered a little more, to make up for it. 

The ten miles from Choi Lodge to Camellia Estate felt like a very easy distance indeed - at first, Seungmin had doubted the truth in Mr Felix’s words as he had said the exact same thing, but indeed, those ten miles that himself and Mr Minho passed went by very quickly indeed, and made for a very agreeable journey.

Camellia Estate was…  _ grand _ , for lack of better way of putting it. If Seungmin ever thought that Choi Lodge was grand, then Camellia Estate had him rethinking, and reevaluating, every life choice he had ever made that led him to the very steps he was taking right now: its grounds were immense, and each path and road was lined with pristinely-kept flower bushes and trees so tall they felt otherworldly. The main path leading up to it was vast and immense; enough for twenty a man to walk down it without his shoulders touching another’s, and ended upon the largest building Seungmin had ever come across in his life. The Estate had at least four floors to it, and each window shone as if it had been scrubbed clean that very morning. 

As Minho advanced up the stairs to the front door, Felix’s keys in hand, Seungmin held back a little, feeling suddenly a little too inferior to be gracing such grandiose grounds, as silly as it sounded, even to himself.

“Mr Seungmin, is everything alright?” Mr Minho enquired as he realised that Seungmin had not followed him up the steps, and Seungmin nodded hastily, swiftly following him up to the door.

“I am fine; these grounds are simply the grandest I have ever seen,” Seungmin admitted, choosing to omit his own subpar feelings among these grounds. Mr Minho nodded and let Seungmin in first, holding the door open with a slight bow as Seungmin thanked him and stepped into the Estate.

_ Goodness gracious, and what a grand prospect it was. _ Right as Seungmin had thought that the estate could not get any more grand - there, in the very next he had been proven wrong entirely by the amount of priceless, exquisite ornaments sitting balanced on pillars that lined the inner hallway, whilst the walls were lined with hand-painted oil paintings and gold; the ceiling, too. And this was simply the entrance: each and every room that Mr Minho had kindly shown him in held some new aspect that never failed to have Seungmin gasp aloud in wonder and inquire after. 

“I shall take it that you like Camellia Estate very much, Mr Seungmin?” Minho asked once they had exited their fifth room of the tour, and Seungmin remembered out of the blue that they were supposed to be here to meticulously check that every servant was doing their job by keeping the grounds in perfect state and cleanliness. This, at least, he could confirm: everything he had beheld so far had been in perfect, beautiful condition. Yes, he wagered that Jeongin should like living here  _ very _ much.

“I do indeed, sir: every room holds beauty, and I will admit, even foreign things of which I have never beheld before. I am truly fascinated.”

“I am glad you think so,” Mr Minho replied, and his voice held a certain kind of wonder of his own; a question seemed at the top of his tongue but it was almost as if the gentleman had not the faintest idea of how to express himself properly. 

“Sir?” a servant greeted Mr Minho as they entered the room, curtseying to both him and Seungmin as she did so and effectively distracting Mr Minho from whatever he was about to say. “I am here to inquire about Master Felix’s whereabouts, and when he might be back.”

“He is away on urgent business at present, but will return once everything has been resolved,” Mr Minho replied smoothly, and the servant nodded, curtseying again and leaving after enquiring after whether or not the two gentlemen should like some tea, to which they both declined. 

“Business?” Seungmin asked around a small smile, which Mr Minho returned.

“I would not have the servants gossiping if I can help it. Let your brother recover in peace before the whole town knows more than they deserve to know.”

Seungmin felt inadvertently stunned at those words, for some reason or another. Mr Minho, in just these short few hours he had been at Discidium for, had suddenly proven himself immensely thoughtful and considerate. 

“... I thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“Of course.”

They passed the afternoon by checking each and every room in the building, which took a great deal of time; Seungmin himself could not have even begun to predict how long it took to check that everywhere was being cleaned as it should be and in good condition, even  _ with _ the amount of rooms that he was aware of there being in total. Indeed, it was a magnificent place to live - Seungmin had no doubts that Jeongin should enjoy life here immensely.

They began to ride back to Choi Lodge after their jobs had been fulfilled, and this time they rode slowly, side by side as they talked.

“Has Mr Felix told you of the events that took place last night, Mr Minho?” Seungmin asked, unwilling to give anything away yet the desire to know if he could vocalise his joy for the couple burned through him like fire. 

“Indeed he did; the two of them told me everything in detail when I entered Mr Jeongin’s chambers this morning,” Mr Minho returned, looking up at the sky with a smile set steadily within his features. “I am very happy for them.”

“And I, too. To think that all of Jeongin’s melancholy was simply because of poorly-communicated misunderstandings… whilst I would have much rather none of the sadness have happened at all, I am joyful indeed that Mr Felix was indeed honourable the entire way, and was held up only through things that he could not help.``

“Indeed,” Mr Minho agreed, “and I am quite sure that if Felix had indeed known of Jeongin’s suffering he would have sought to cure it immediately, without it having had to go on for so long before it was finally resolved.”

“A shame indeed, but everything that has happened, has happened, and now we shall hear only of their happiness and unity,” Seungmin sighed in contentment and leaned back as much as horse riding would allow, enjoying the cool spring breeze hitting his face as he did so, and listening to the rustling of newly-borne leaves serving as a background melody to both his and Mr Minho’s talking as their horses trotted on beneath them.

“A happy time, surely,” Mr Minho replied. “Two marriages within your family already - or, at least, one confirmed engagement and one promise of another. When is your eldest brother marrying?”

“He will wed Miss Yeji in September, from the Parish not far from our home,” Seungmin informed him, thinking back to the wedding planning that had taken place before they had returned to Choi Lodge: Miss Yeji had come back to Maplebrook with only her chaperone, and had stayed once more with the Kims, where they had enjoyed many a walk into town, and many hours planning the ceremony, although there was not much to plan. In that time, herself and Chan had finally gained to spend some time getting to know one another in between the time spent with the Kim family as a whole, and Seungmin had been very glad to learn that Chan was indeed on the way to falling very much in love with Miss Yeji, and it seemed to be reciprocated, although Seungmin himself had dared not ask Miss Yeji such a personal question outright. 

He had been very sad to see her leave after just seven days, having enjoyed the additional company very much and then been lacking in interesting events to write to Jeongin about for the next few days, before he had next met Mr Minho and his sister in town.

There was no way in which Seungmin could have ever predicted this happy turn of events, but forgetting Jeongin’s current illness and the almost-tragedy that got him to this stage, he was inherently glad of everything else that had happened recently.

Once Mr Minho and Seungmin returned to Choi Lodge Seungmin wasted no time in making a beeline for Jeongin’s chambers, finding him awake with Mrs Kim, Chan, Mr Kim and Felix all at once. This alone was a great surprise considering his doctor’s orders of strict one-on-one visits but what shocked Seungmin more, was the plate sitting on the bed next to Jeongin, completely devoid of any food apart from a few inedible remains. 

“Jeongin?” Seungmin asked as he stepped into the room, eyeing the plate with hesitance, and Chan stood up at once, all full of smiles and newly found humour.

“Jeongin has made great progress today, Seungmin - this is the first full meal he has eaten since his accident!” he informed Seungmin, and Seungmin cheered aloud in happiness. He suspected that Mr Felix’s promise last night had played a huge part in Jeongin’s newfound motivation to get better as soon as possible, although hope and promises alone could do little to heal poor health. Either way - Seungmin could not have been happier with this outcome, and when he voiced this aloud the room filled with cheerful replies voicing the same things. 

Before the day ended Jeongin had even gotten out of bed, and with aid from Mrs Kim transferred himself to a chair next to the open window, so that he might sit by it and watch the birds nest and the sun set as the fresh air blew directly into his face, although Mrs Kim took great care to make sure that he was sufficiently bundled up in blankets as he did so, to protect himself against any chills he might pick up whilst sitting there. As he sat, his bedsheets were changed and replaced with fresher ones, and when he moved back to his bed to rest again, he vocalised the blissful feeling of laying within newly washed bed sheets, and how lovely the smell was to be immersed in once more. Such was the pleasure he took in every little thing - his nature once more shining through his demeanour like the sun through clouds, which pleased everyone greatly to see, as it reassured them that he was indeed getting steadily better and becoming himself once again. 

He did not gain the strength to leave his room for another three days, but when he did it was greatly celebrated; to reward his newly regained health the Chois sent out specially for Jeongin’s favourite meal to be prepared, and for the first time he joined everybody to eat it in the dining-room, which pleased his company no end. 

At the end of that day Jeongin was tired, but pleasantly so, and slept especially well under the ever-watchful eye of Mr Felix, of whom he still could not persuade to leave his side at night to sleep in a real bed of his own. He did not particularly mind, but rather worried for the health of his back, for it could not be in the least part comfortable to sleep in the wooden chair that he kept to, or slumped over face-first into the side of Jeongin’s own bed; but he could not ask his promised love to sleep in his own bed  _ with  _ him, for that would be wholly improper, and so he resigned himself to work as hard as he could to recover at the utmost speed, if only to save Mr Felix’s spine from eternal damage. 

At long last Jeongin was deemed well enough to travel after two long weeks since the Kims’ arrival, and as the family and Lees bid the Chois an extremely grateful thank-you, Jeongin took the chance to walk around the grounds and gardens just once more before he should be part with it all: for although the last period of time he had spent here sick, he would indeed miss the sea air and beautiful scenery there. 

He was just weaving in and out of a line of trees when he heard his name being called: Mr Felix was running towards him with haste, and so he pulled himself from his path within the trees, and walked towards him, so that their distance might close faster.

“Jeongin,” Felix panted as he finally reached him, “I know that you are set to return home today, but I just had to ask: before your family leaves… would you like to come and view Camellia Estate before you do so? I will understand completely if you are not feeling up to it, and we can always visit another time.”

Jeongin’s heart pounded, and he knew at once that he could not refuse such an opportunity, for not only was it another step towards his and Felix’s engagement, but it was so terribly convenient that everybody should be so close to the Estate in the first place; this way he would not have to make yet another journey to and from home for a short stay. Yes, indeed, this arrangement was perfect, and so Jeongin made sure to vocalise this at once.

“I am very glad,” Felix said then, and turned heel right away, crossing the gardens in much less haste so that he might inform Mr and Mrs Kim of this new idea, and invite them to the Estate too, for he would never take Jeongin by himself without some form of audience of chaperone before their formal engagement. He wanted to court him properly, and do everything as it should be.

Finally, Jeongin bid goodbye to the gardens of Choi Lodge and then walked to the carriages, where Changbin handed him a blanket to wrap around his shoulders for the journey as one final precaution to ensure his healthy state remained throughout their journey home. Although his brothers were to ride on horseback, Jeongin was to ride in the carriage with Mrs Kim and be protected there from the brunt of the cold and wind as they travelled, although summer at this point was swiftly approaching and there was scarcely an ounce of cold to be felt. He did wholly appreciate the gesture, however, and offered no argument.

Camellia Estate, after having little to no description of it from Felix, was vastly different to what Jeongin had been expecting. Although the  _ estate _ was literally in its name, he had been expecting a house as grand as Choi Lodge, but this was on a newly elevated level entirely. He could scarcely contain a gasp as they finally arrived on its grounds, and Mrs Kim was much more vocal in her appreciation: he was sure that their entire entourage outside the carriage could hear her loud comments of awe and exclamations concerning the size, grandeur and estimated expense of the entire estate.

“This is a fine prospect indeed, Jeongin, and so beautifully kept! I’ll wager that you shall be a very happy master of this estate once you and Mr Felix are married,” she commented, and Jeongin was swift to hush her, feeling embarrassed although there was no longer any reason to feel so.

Mr Felix was accommodating indeed, and insisted that he show the Kim family the grounds and interior of the Estate to satisfy their curiosity. Mr Minho came along, too, and hung at the back of the group, where Seungmin found himself walking too, having already seen the grounds as well, and the two made pleasant conversation that was drowned out by everybody else by their fascination and awe granted by their first sights of everything. 

The tour felt intimate on a new level for Jeongin, who knew that Felix was only showing his family his home in such extensiveness because he fully intended to have Jeongin marry and move here with him, where they would both live: in the very estate that Felix had been saving for his future husband. 

Once everybody had been led back out of the indoors and into the vast grounds that bloomed with flower-bushes and were well-stocked with birds and birdsong, Felix turned back to Jeongin, relishing in the small amount of privacy they could derive by taking advantage of everybody else’s immediate distractions. 

“Do you like the estate, Jeongin?” Felix whispered to him, and Jeongin once again felt his heart leap in his chest, wondering if he would ever get used to the glorious feeling of euphoria associated only with Felix. “We all can tell that your mother does in particular, but do  _ you _ ?”

Glancing around the gardens; loving the way that the sunlight shimmered and reflected off the fishing-lake and the flowers bloomed amidst it all, providing bursts of colour that Jeongin was  _ positive _ he could draw positive energy and happiness from their looks alone. He thought back to the luxurious state of the estate’s interior, and although he should be very comfortable indeed with even a quarter of that the estate entailed, he that was of little matter: with Felix, he was sure that he would be happy everywhere and anywhere, no matter their status or situation.

“I do… I confess that I like it very much,” Jeongin replied, with stars in his eyes. “Everything is so beautiful… indeed, I am quite in awe of everything.”

“And you think that you could live here? Do you see yourself living here, in the future, with me?”

“Felix, as long as I am with you, I can visualise myself living out my days _ anywhere _ . _ ” _

The light within Felix’s eyes grew so much that Jeongin quite feared he might be burned with it, but he did not ever want to look away; honestly, he would find himself quite content to go blind if it meant never looking away from Felix again.

“You know not what those words mean to me, dearest one,” Felix whispered, disregarding their company in favour of taking Jeongin’s hands within his own and holding them close to his chest, and even Jeongin could see that he looked quite as if he were about to combust with fondness, the sight making Jeongin’s own being feel as it he were being knocked down with a tidal wave of the same emotion. 

“May I request a private audience with Jeongin, Mr Kim, to show him around these gardens personally? The rest of you shall be free to explore wherever you should like,” Mr Felix raised his voice suddenly, dropping Jeongin’s hands in favour of walking up to Mr Kim to voice his question. Mr Kim nodded at once, and Chan did his best to speak loudly to Jisung over Mrs Kim’s barely contained resulting gasp. After that, Felix wasted no time in leading Jeongin away from their immediate group, walking so close to Jeongin that their hands brushed every step, although of course they could not act on their urges to take the other’s hand in the own, and so they contented themselves with such subtle, fleeting touches that might even be invisible to the untrained observer. 

Although where Felix led Jeongin was still in plain view of the Kims, they did notice, or if they did they paid it no mind at all, already completely lost to the other as they paced leisurely through the grass dotted with daisies despite having been recently mowed, until they reached the lake at the bottom of the grounds, that was lined with tall trees, green leaves and uncut wild-flowers that tickled their calves and even reached their knees in sparse occasions. 

It was then that Felix turned to Jeongin, and took his hands into his own once more, and looked up at him with a newfound sense of determination and resolution. Jeongin spoke not, and waited for the elder gentleman to say something first.

“Jeongin… You know not the fear I felt when we pulled you to shore and I recognised your face: it was a fear unlike anything I have ever felt before. I never wish to feel anything akin to it for as long as i shall live.” 

Surprised but not necessarily unperturbed, Jeongin nodded solemnly, and promised Felix that it would never happen again, as long as he lived himself; for he had thoroughly learned his lesson, and should never fancy a trip to the sea alone again after his last experience there. 

“That pleases me to hear. But that was not the point of my opening: rather, I was laying the foundations for what I am about to say. Could I ask of you the honour of a listening ear until I am done?”

“Of course, you may.”

Felix nodded, and swallowed obviously as he glanced around the two: two butterflies, a wonderful blue in colour, fluttered in between the two as he did so, circling each other’s flights in a delicate dance of courtship. Jeongin squeezed Felix’s hands just a little tighter as both of their eyes followed the movement.

“I would like to start this time by apologising that you have waited so long for this, Jeongin. It was never my intention to leave you feeling slighted or dejected, but I am glad indeed that we have been able to explain that to one another and then move on from it. I thank you for your instant forgiveness on that front, for the months of silence must have been infinitely harder on you than they were for me.” 

Jeongin wanted to speak, but stopped himself at the last moment, remembering his promise to hear Felix out before he spoke himself, and so contented himself with nodding with empathy and encouragement.

“I had first meant to tell you that I love you back in Maplebrook, on that day before you first left for Discidium, but we were interrupted by your brother - and I feel that you know this, too, for I saw the disappointment in your face when we were prevented from continuing in our conversation. Now, however, after our journey of separation, reunion and healing - I would like to continue that confession, although you already know how I love you.

Jeongin, I feel that I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you. Never before have I instantly felt so comfortable and open with another, and I hope that you feel the same. As tragic as our story almost happened to get, I feel that it has only made my feelings for you run even deeper, and - oh, dearest, please do not cry…”

It was too late, for tears had already begun to slip down Jeongin’s cheeks, warmed by the sun and quickly drying there, although Felix made an effort to wipe them away himself. 

“Have I said something wrong?”

“Indeed you have not; these are tears only of happiness,” Jeongin reassured him, laughing quietly as he wiped another away himself. A single bee buzzed close to his ear before he spoke again, just one second afterwards. “Pray, continue. I did not wish to interrupt.”

“I love you with my entire being, my love, and never wish to be anywhere that is not by your side: our months apart made me ache with longing, and only proved this point to me with emphasis. I…” Felix squeezed Jeongin’s hands one last time before he knelt down on one knee amidst the grass and bright flowers, keeping a hold of Jeongin’s hands the entire way, and beamed up at him with teary eyes of his own. “What I am trying to ask is this: Jeongin, will you marry me?”

Jeongin could no longer keep a hold of himself, and let his tears flow freely: he had thought that the night of which Felix had confessed his love to him had been the limit of joy that a human could possibly feel, but it appeared at once that he was wrong, for this level surely surpassed that night with vigour. He nodded emphatically as he sunk to his own knees in front of Felix, matching his height, and managed to form one singular coherent syllable to voice his answer:  _ “Yes. _ ”

With affectionate tenderness that astounded even Jeongin himself, Felix lifted their hands to his face so that he might kiss Jeongin’s hand, and Jeongin was glad indeed that he was kneeling down, for he felt sure as anything that his legs might have given way beneath him at the feeling if he had been standing. 

“I love you,” Jeongin whispered, and Felix kissed his hand once more before returning the sentiment, still both teary-eyed and joyful. They had not yet realised that the entire party of whom they were joined by had been watching them intently across the lake, with no subtlety whatsoever, and it would have been a humorous sight to see if not they were so engrossed in each other to see.

As it was, the Kims were celebrating highly; Mrs Kim was excitedly yelling, and how the sound did not travel across the lake and invade Jeongin and Felix’s private bubble of newly-engaged bliss, Seungmin knew not how - Changbin and Jisung were dancing merrily together, whilst Chan and Mr Kim looked on in a more peaceful manner, but with no less joy than any other.

Seungmin had turned to Mr Minho the second that Mr Felix had knelt down, and the pure ecstasy that lay within his eyes at the sight of his brother finally being proposed to had made Mr Minho’s heart leap almost out of his chest; the way Seungmin’s eyes had sparkled and shone so as he had shook with happiness as he spoke in low tones to Mr Minho of his happiness for the pair had quite robbed Mr Minho of any ability to speak back, and so he had contented both himself and Seungmin with nods and smiles, which was enough for both of them: something that Seungmin had put down to the joy for his lifelong friend finally proposing to the love of his life, and being quite blissfully ignorant of the fact that it was his own demeanour that had caused Mr Minho’s flustered state. 

Furthermore on this subject laid the fact that Mr Minho felt his heart swell almost to the point of unbearability as Seungmin instantly turned to  _ him, _ and none other, at the sight of Mr Felix dropping to one knee; choosing Mr Minho to share in his joy first and foremost, and not one of his dear, beloved brethren, without a second thought: a notable contrast to a few months prior, when he had coldly rejected Mr Minho’s marriage proposal and left him without any hope of reconciliation. Now, as he watched Mr Seungmin’s eyes tear up with joy as he mouthed silent words of exhilaration to Minho, he felt joy illimited spread throughout his being like wildfire, and could not even train himself to pay more attention to the situation at hand betwixt Mr Jeongin and Felix, for his fondness for the man standing in front of him, who had long since spun back around to observe the proposal from afar. Still, Mr Seungmin stood by him the entire time, commenting and laughing aloud with joy, and Minho wanted to freeze the memory forever, and carry it with him always. 

He truthfully felt quite emotional.

And in this new beginning for Felix and Mr Jeongin, Minho hoped that himself and Seungmin may also set foot on a new path of journey for themselves, too. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [SCREAMS] JEONGLIX ENGAGED FINALLY and oho???? is this some solid 2min i see developing???? is seungmin finally beginning to fall for minho but just doesnt realise it yet??????????????? OHOHOHOHO  
> thank you so much for reading, i hope this chapter continued to meet your expectations!! leave a comment letting me know your thoughts!


	7. chapter seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I wonder that Seungmin did not take notice of the sweet way Mr Minho was gazing at him as he fussed over Ophelia," Changbin whispered to Jisung, who nodded and hummed in thoughtful agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ohohohoOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO

On the same day of Jeongin and Mr Felix’s engagement the Kim family began their journey home, and Jeongin’s situation of having to ride in the carriage with his mother instead of being outside on horseback with his brethren provided both blessings and curses - on one hand, he was granted the ability to talk as much as he should want about his engagement and upcoming wedding, but on the other hand, it was  _ all _ that Mrs Kim would talk about, and in very materialistic terms too, which granted him a great deal of frustration when he should much rather discuss his happy situation with his brethren instead of an excitable mother whose excitement was so great that the groom-to-be himself could hardly get a word in at all.

At last, after three more days and nightly stops, the family reached home, and were followed the week after that by Mr Minho and Mr Felix, who had remained at Camellia Estate for a while longer in order to make sure that the Estate was in prime condition, and leave Mr Felix’s servants in charge of taking care of it, instead of leaving it desolate and empty, for Mr Felix finally intended to return very, very soon.

“And when shall you and Mr Felix further discuss your wedding?” Seungmin asked one night, when the rest of the household was asleep, but himself and Jeongin were awake, huddled within their own blankets with only a candle illuminating Seungmin’s bedchambers. Jeongin had come in a few hours after dinner to spend some time with his brother, and now whilst it was well past midnight they remained comfortably leant against Seungmin’s pillows as they talked.

“The next time that I see him, I would imagine,” Jeongin replied, and there was no mistaking the smile audible and clear within his voice. “Oh, Seungmin, I cannot get his words out of my head. How lovely they were! How happy they make me to think about…”

“Well, he returned this evening, did he not? I would wager that Mr Felix will be calling for you within a few hours or so, as soon as polite etiquette allows it.”

Jeongin smiled into the night, and even in the dim candlelight it was impossible for Seungmin to miss. "I do hope so."

"I am so happy for you," Seungmin whispered, and Jeongin giggled brightly.

"You have told me so about five times, tonight alone."

"It does not make it less true!" Seungmin whisper-shrieked, and Jeongin fell to the side in a fit of laughter, almost falling off of Seungmin's bed and clutching frantically at his quilts as he flailed about to keep himself from falling with a colossal bang that would surely awaken the entire household.

"Good lord - be careful!" Seungmin grabbed Jeongin's arm, pulling him back onto the bed, and snorted loudly at the sight of Jeongin's reading-glasses now sitting completely askew upon his nose; his hair ruffled as if he had been dragged through a hedge backwards, when all that had happened was his tilting at a fast pace. "However did an almost-fall make you look so dishevelled?"

"I cannot look that bad," Jeongin chided, and leaned to the right a little, so that he might catch a glimpse of himself in Seungmin's bedside mirror. "Oh, lord. I retract my statement at once: this is atrocious."

"The messy state that Mr Felix will soon be awakening every morning to," Seungmin could not resist the opportunity to teaze him, and Jeongin laughed again, making sure to be a little quieter this time after his near-accident had made him cautious.

"He will be awakening to a much more messy state than this when I wake up, and you know it." And indeed Seungmin did - he was all too aware of his brother's tendency to drool in his sleep when in a particularly deep state of slumber, and his habits of spreading out on his mattress like a starfish: a habit that he had never grown out of since childhood. In his illness at Choi Lodge he had slept incredibly still and in an unmoving manner, but now that he was well again, Mr Felix would be greeted with a very different style of sleeping Jeongin.

"Ah, yes. Remind me to remind Mr Felix to purchase the biggest bed possible, for you shall surely project him onto the cold, hard floor if you are to sleep in a normally sized one."

"If you do that, I will make sure to tell your own future spouse of any sleeping habits that  _ you _ have, and may be unaware of," Jeongin jabbed right back, not missing a single beat as he pulled his blanket tighter around himself. "But, speaking of sleeping habits - I must now return to my room, for it will surely be light soon. Goodnight, Seungmin."

"Goodnight, Innie."

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

The next morning, true to Seungmin's estimated word, Mr Felix called upon the Kim household at the earliest opportunity, and the family had barely left the breakfast table by the time he came about. Luckily they  _ had _ indeed finished eating - by mere minutes - but Jisung in particular had found it very amusing indeed.

"And will Mr Minho or My Hyunjin be following you here today, Mr Felix?" he asked, and Mr Felix shook his head regrettably.

"I am afraid that they will not be - not that I know of anyway. Although, Hyunjin did ask me to greet you in particular, Mr Jisung, in place of him whilst I was here," Mr Felix recounted with a smile, and Jisung could not hide the blush that rose to his cheeks very well, although nobody around him mentioned it.

It was then that Chan entered, having been outside with Changbin until now, as the two of them had eaten an early breakfast in order to practise their shooting outside, and greeted Mr Felix merrily. That day Chan was set to leave, and bid everybody goodbye before he set out on his horse for an overnight trip to stay with Mr Williams, where today and tomorrow he would again see Miss Yeji again, and get to know her yet more as they planned their honeymoon. Seungmin waved him off with Jisung and Changbin as Jeongin and Mr Felix began talking animatedly behind them, as they caught up on each other's weeks.

Mr Felix and Jeongin then left to walk the grounds and gardens, and everybody let them be, for this was the first time that they had time together within a week and a day of their engagement, and nobody wished to get in the way of their time together after Jeongin's palpable excitement to see Mr Felix again since their engagement and parting. Jisung smiled fondly as he saw the two pass by a window, and cooed at them with Seungmin to see them walking as close together as possible without seeming scandalously attached. If they were to squint, they could see that they were not holding hands, but rather their pinky fingers were curled around each other's, and that seemed even more intimate, in a way, than blatant hand-holding.

Seungmin's heart flipped a little at the sight, wondering how that must feel.

Apart from Mr Felix's arrival, that day remained rather slow and dull in terms of events, and although the sky began to cloud over, he debated on whether he should go for a walk or not, if not to simply get out of the house and into the fresh air for a while. He debated on this for an entire hour, not wanting to get caught in any rain, but on the other hand it had been wonderfully sunny for the past week, and so he was not sure as to whether the sky would simply clear up or not.

After Mr Felix left in the mid-afternoon, Seungmin decided that yes, he would indeed set out on a walk. After asking his brothers if they would like to accompany him, he was politely declined, as Changbin and Jisung seemed positively set on wheedling every single detail about Mr Felix's visit from Jeongin, and so with a fond chuckle, Seungmin let them be, slipping on his outdoor shoes to the sound of Changbin singing an awfully vulgar and artfully made-up song to a groaning Jeongin as Jisung laughed loudly to the side.

“Mother?” Seungmin called, “ I am just going to go for a short walk into town.”

It was just his luck that he should get caught in a spring storm on his way back home.

Rain poured down in thick, needling torrents, and Seungmin could barely see through it, let alone hear over the heavy, rolling thunder, whose claps and conundrums seemed to be getting closer and closer together with every passing moment. Raising his hands high above his head as if that would help a single jot in keeping him dry, Seungmin ran swiftly, but carefully, so as to not slip on any mud, or in any puddles, and fall down. The only thing occupying his mind was the thought of a warm blanket and a seat by the fire once he arrived home, and that alone was the reason he kept running, not allowing himself to slow down from discouragement at the feeling of his clothes sticking to his body like a second skin. It really was such rotten weather, considering the fact that spring was now transitioning into summer, but Seungmin supposed that it could not be helped. 

He had made it around halfway to his cosy destination when a figure crouched by a hedge caught his eye. At first Seungmin paid it no mind; why should he, when it was simply a person minding their own business? - But perhaps the storm had made him sympathetic in its chills, and the figure looked  _ ever _ so familiar, even with their back to Seungmin, and so he changed course for the hedge instead of home, if only to greet whoever it was crouched there, and make sure that they were not ill, or in pain.

“You there,” He raised his voice to be heard over the colossal pitter-patter, “Are you quite alright?”

The figure turned, and instantly Seungmin was able to recognise the man’s face - of course his back had looked familiar, for it was none other than Mr Lee Minho, with his wet hair plastered to his forehead and scalp like he had crawled freshly out of the sea, and his clothes dripping wet - but Seungmin could hardly comment, for he likely was in the same condition.

“Mr Seungmin!” Mr Minho greeted brightly, as if he were not crouched above the ground with his face half-buried within the wet leaves of a hedge. “Greetings!”

“Whatever are you doing down there? It is freezing, and storming,” Seungmin pointed out, as if that were not painfully obvious already. Mr Minho should get inside as soon as possible if he did not want to catch cold and fall ill. 

“Quite! Rather, I was simply attempting to coax this little missus out of her hiding-place,” Minho said, turning back to the hedge as he spoke. Abandoning all other thoughts of getting home within the next few minutes, Seungmin crouched down next to Mr Minho, searching below the hedge for anything that was not leaves and branches.

“Little missus?” He questioned, needing more information than a simple assumed gender label to go off in order to aid Mr Minho with his searching.

“A cat, I believe! I saw her dart beneath this hedge not ten minutes ago, right as it started to rain. She has not moved since, but is very well hidden, and I wish to retrieve her, and get her warm somehow, so that she may not catch a cold or fall ill.”

“It may well be that she already belongs to somebody, Mr Minho, and that she is simply biding her time until we leave to go home,” Seungmin suggested, reasonable as ever, but Mr Minho shook his head in response, sending more raindrops flying through the air as he did so, hitting Seungmin in the face and neck with added droplets that he barely felt through the relentless onslaught that attacked both gentlemen from above.

“She has no collar, and looks underfed and malnourished; I have often seen her walk these streets and not once has she seemed any healthier,” Mr Minho explained with regret staining his voice. “I would have attempted to feed her before, but just like every other time, she has hidden away whenever I try to get close to her.”

Squinting and using stiff hands to pry apart the bottom of the hedge, Seungmin finally caught a glimpse of the feline in question - and although her fur was matted, her form skeletal, she was easily one of the prettiest cats Seungmin had ever laid eyes on, however few he had genuinely seen in his life. Her fur, dirtied and sopping wet, was of a white colour, Seungmin could see, and she had spots of both black  _ and _ orange patterning her, too. Indeed, she was a beautiful cat - and as his eyes met hers through the rain and foliage, he felt himself falling a little for her, needing to see her fed and well, just like Mr Minho had done.

“Oh… she is white, and orange,  _ and _ black,” Seungmin gasped aloud, “is not she the most beautiful cat to ever walk the streets of Maplebrook?”

“That is exactly what I had thought of her,” Mr Minho replied, sounding very well pleased. “Perhaps, now that you are here, you can help me coax her out of her hiding-place.” 

Alas, there was no need, for the second that Seungmin held a tentative hand out for the cat to sniff, she crawled out of the bushes at once, and wound herself around Seungmin’s outstretched arm as she headbutted his saturated sleeves; that action alone drawing a coo from Seungmin and a sound of outrage from Mr Minho.

“But - I have been trying to win her over every day I have been here since Michaelmas, and not once has she even willingly  _ approached _ me, let alone interacted with me as she now does you!” Mr Minho cried, looking positively troubled at this new discovery. “Tell me, Mr Seungmin, what is your secret?”

“I have no secret; perhaps I am simply better with animals than you are,” Seungmin smiled, and after coaxing the cat into his arms he stood up, taking no notice of how the wet fur immediately began to stick to his clothes, and loosened his cravat with one hand as the cat tried to burrow into his neck, thus tightening it beyond comfort. “She is already trying to make an attempt on my life, as you see, Mr Minho. Perhaps it is a blessing that you have not succeeded with charming her thus far.”

Something akin to knowing glee glinted in Mr Minho’s eyes as he watched Seungmin handle the skinny ball of wet fluff, finding the feline’s prickly airs being offset by her cuddly act with Mr Seungmin as a very charming feature. 

“I shall win her over eventually, just you see, Mr Seungmin,” he replied, and all the while Seungmin was completely unaware of the way that Mr Minho was referencing more than just the cat in that simple intention. 

“I shall watch with rapt attention and bated breath - oh, what were you planning on doing with the cat once retrieving her? We are all of us soaked through to the skin, and will most certainly catch a cold if we do not get warm within the minute.” 

As if on cue, a deafening bout of thunder rolled overhead, making both Mr Minho and the cat flinch in sync, and Seungmin laughed heartily, having felt the cat flinch at the very same time that Mr Minho had moved - it was almost as if the two were connected. The cat shivered violently within Seungmin’s arms, and so he opened his jacket, cradling her close to his chest in the hope that he should transfer some body heat that way, and protect her from further rain and harm.

“My home is much closer than Evergreen Manor - you are welcome to accompany us home until the storm passes over, if you would like that - it cannot be safe walking miles and miles in the midst of lightning and heavy rain,” Seungmin offered kindly, and Mr Minho’s eyes filled with relief as he nodded vigorously, already walking before Seungmin himself had a chance to.

“I should like that very much - you are very kind. Let us go at once.”

Thankfully their journey was relatively short, for the rain showed no signs of stopping, and upon their arrival back at the Kim household they were greeted with fussing servants and Mrs Kim, the loudest of them all, practically screaming about how ill they could both fall, voicing what Seungmin was _almost_ sure were well-meant concerns about them both ending up as sick as Jeongin was after his accident if they did not get dry within the next five minutes.

“And a cat, too!” she shrieked, upon the sight of a servant helping Seungmin to peel his jacket off, only to reveal the ruffled animal held close to his chest. “A stray, no less, by the looks of it! Pray, return it to the streets - it has nothing for us in here apart from fleas and ticks!”

“Please, mother, let us tend to her,” Seungmin asked quietly, and Mr Minho stood, silently hopeful, behind him. “You do not have to acknowledge her presence if you do not want to; we will keep her far away from you at all times.”

Mrs Kim hesitated, but ultimately relented, if only to simply get Seungmin and Mr Minho to  _ move _ and change into drier clothes, and get warmer before they fell ill. Leaving the cat in the sure hands of a towel-equipped servant, Seungmin led Mr Minho upstairs for some privacy whilst they both changed, and the strange uncertainty he felt as he left Mr Minho in his own bedroom, with Seungmin making his way into Jeongin’s chambers instead, held a certain weight that he knew not what to account for. 

Being more of Jeongin or Chan’s stature, and with Chan out of the house, Mr Minho had had to borrow Jeongin’s clothes to change into until he could travel back to Evergreen Manor for clothes of his own, but when he stepped out of Seungmin’s chambers wearing them, Seungmin was astounded to see that perhaps Mr Minho was a little more broad than he had originally given him credit for: the sleeves stretched tightly around his upper arms, showcasing muscle that Seungmin had priorly been unaware of, and he had to avert his eyes for a reason that remained stubbornly unacknowledged by himself as Mr Minho reached up to adjust his - Jeongin’s - jacket and cravat so that they fitted him a little better.

“I trust that the clothes are to your liking?” Seungmin asked smally after a handful of silent seconds, having to lick over his lips just once to wet them after his mouth had turned inexplicably dry at the sight of Mr Minho before him - for whatever reason that was. Perhaps he was already catching a cold from being caught in the storm, that had to be it. Mr Minho nodded, showcasing a minuscule smile that seemed to tickle at the corners of his mouth, barely there but loud and clear in unison. 

“I shall thank your brother when next I see him. For now, should we check on the cat?”

“Indeed.” Leading the way, for Mr Minho could not possibly be expected to know the layout of the house, Seungmin made his way back downstairs, making a beeline for the kitchens, where he knew the majority of their servants would have returned to, and spotted the same servant holding the car immediately, and headed there at once. Now much drier than before, the cat was yowling and squirming in the servant’s arms, who refused to let her go, lest she wreak havoc in the kitchen, but was getting awfully scratched in the process. Seungmin tutted in sympathy as he kneeled down in front of the two. 

“My apologies,” he said, “and please, I beg that you tend to those scratches before any other household duty.”

“Thank you, sir,” the servant replied gratefully, and handed the yowling cat to Seungmin before exiting the kitchen. Almost immediately, the cat calmed down, laying lax in Seungmin’s arms and purring almost as soon as he laid a hand on her fur, stroking her belly and tracing her paws.

“I think it best that we name her,” Mr Minho suggested, taking a step forward and taking one of her paws between two fingers, making her wave at the ceiling. She eyed him in a somewhat suspicious manner, but did not react, letting him do as he pleased so long as she was within Seungmin’s arms.

“And what would you name her?” Seungmin returned, feeling it was only best that Mr Minho should name her, seeing as he had been the person chasing and trying to earn her affection for weeks now.

“I have always favoured the name Ophelia,” Mr Minho replied after a beat of silence, and Seungmin eyed him knowingly.

“After Shakespeare’s  _ Hamlet _ ?” 

“The very same. I am quite fond of Shakespeare.”

“I, too,” Seungmin said, and then they agreed that they should call the cat Ophelia, as it was rather fitting that they had properly met her during a great storm, serving as a similarity in bodies of water - but they did also agree that they would take great care to not let her near any floods or great bodies of water, so as to not tempt fate. Then, of course, came the question of who should be her primary carer, as it was glaringly evident that both Mr Minho and Seungmin came from different families and households, and so only one of the two gentlemen could house her.

“My mother aside, I should think that this household would be very open to a pet,” Seungmin thought aloud. “But I would regard her more as yours regardless, as it has been yourself who has been trying to befriend her all this time. Perhaps you would like to take her?”

“As of now I cannot try to take her from you without having her attempt to scratch my skin from my possession,” Mr Minho humoured him, proving his point by having Ophelia hiss at him viciously as he tried to slip a hand around her frame, as if he were about to pick her up. “I rest my case: I am afraid, Seungmin, that for the time being, you will be burdened with the result of my failed dedication.”

“It is no problem and of little consequence,” Seungmin reassured him, “for Ophelia is so sweet that even my mother will melt around her presence within the hour, I'll wager. Know you of any commendable vets nearby?”

Mr Minho furrowed his brow for a second, before his face cleared completely and he nodded with enthusiasm. “Indeed I do! -- I know of a doctor that helped one of our horses give birth just last week. Should I send for him?”

“That would be ideal, to make sure that Ophelia is not injured or infected in any way that our untrained eyes, cannot tell of.”

“Of course.” Wasting no time in beckoning a servant and giving directions for the veterinary, there was not much else for the two to do apart from thoroughly dry the cat and make sure that she was comfortable. In doing so, they walked towards the parlour, where a fire had already been lit, and sat down on the sofas next to it, letting out contented sighs as warmth finally began to seep back into their bodies; Seungmin in particular feeling relieved at the feeling of minute shakes and shivering subsiding. Ophelia seemed doubly as happy, and stretched out on Seungmin’s lap immediately.

There they sat in silence, watching Ophelia fall asleep, until bright lightning flashed outside, followed immediately by a roar of great thunder, shocking both gentlemen out of their comfortable reveries. Seungmin laughed to himself. 

“It seems that we are in the midst of the centre of the storm, then.”

“Indeed.”

“You would be very welcome to stay for dinner, if the storm does not pass us by - I would not dream of having you walk all the way back to Evergreen Manor in this weather after already being caught in it once.”

Mr Minho opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short as Jisung and Jeongin entered the room, eyes blown wide with surprise at the ball of fur napping on Seungmin’s legs, and at the sight of Mr Minho sitting so close next to him. They knew not which element they should draw more surprise from!

“Mr Minho, hello,” Jisung greeted, sitting down on the seat opposite Mr Minho and Seungmin, and Jeongin did the same, making himself comfortable among the well-loved, embroidered cushions. “What brings you here today?”

“Mr Seungmin and I found a stray cat in the village, and we could not leave her to shiver in this storm - so here we are with her. Unfortunately my family at Evergreen are opposed to pets that cannot be caged, and so it is with regret that I shall have to leave her here with you all.”

Jeongin’s eyes positively shone as he watched Ophelia stretch and yawn silently, and his hands itched to stroke her. He refrained for the time being, however, after seeing how content she seemed atop of Seungmin’s legs: he would not wish to disturb such a peaceful rest.

“None of your family?” asked he, and to his secret relief Mr Minho shook his head.

“Not  _ all _ \- rather, Hyunjin, Felix and I should all love to keep pets. But as we still decide to live with the rest of our family, we live under their rules and so regrettably: no pets.”

Jeongin felt very happy indeed to hear that, having seen Ophelia laying so contentedly on Seungmin, and being watched over so tenderly by both Seungmin and Mr Minho, that he was at once struck with the urge to adopt a cat or dog with Felix once they were wed. Although he did not vocalise this, knowing the history between Seungmin and Mr Minho, Jeongin thought that they already seemed married, and seeing them together in this manner lent such a feeling of domesticity to Jeongin that he quite longed to see the two united as himself and Felix were soon to be. 

Of course he did not voice these thoughts, for he valued his life. But the sentiment remained!

Jisung, however, did not share the same subtlety as Jeongin did, although he did remain silent as to his observations of his brother and Mr Minho: awakening the cat sleeping in Seungmin’s lap with a tentative stroke over her head and back, he was greeted with a sharp hiss and thankfully, a claw-free swat at his arm. Mr Minho laughed loudly at the sight, and proceeded to vocalise to a slightly offended Jisung that Ophelia had done the very same to him, and that he was glad that it was not just him that Ophelia seemed to dislike.

This quite clearly led to Jeongin’s rejection by Ophelia too, and when Changbin, who had been passing the doorway when Jeongin had also been hissed at, and then he, too had been rejected. It seemed that Seungmin was the only person whom Ophelia would trust for the time being, but he did not brag about it, nor seem smug at the revelation: rather, he continued to stroke her with great care, and tried to coax everybody else into trying again, so that Ophelia might like them a little more every time.

It was this humility and care that made Minho melt just a little inside with incredible fondness.

The group spent the rest of the night in this manner, and Mr Minho joined the Kims for dinner after all, just an hour after the vet came and went, checking Ophelia over to find that mercifully she was unharmed apart from being underfed and cold. He did warn the family that she may be on guard for a while until she began to relax in the presence of humans - this being a reflex after living on the streets for so long. 

Mr Minho left just an hour short of midnight on horseback, with the promise to return Mr Kim’s horse to him the very next day. Thankful that the storm had finally passed Maplebrook over, the Kim brethren stood at the door to wave him off as Ophelia napped next to the fire in the parlour. 

"Well, what began as a very uneventful day ended up as eventful as they come," Seungmin commented as they made their way back inside, and were met by servants shutting and locking the door behind them in preparation for the night ahead. "At least that horrid storm passed us over."

"I wonder that Seungmin did not take notice of the sweet way Mr Minho was gazing at him as he fussed over Ophelia," Changbin whispered to Jisung, who nodded and hummed in thoughtful agreement.

"What did you just say, Changbin? I heard my name," Seungmin asked suspiciously, but Jisung spoke over him, blissfully saving Changbin from near death.

"Seungmin! Has Jeongin told you of his wedding plans yet? I would wager that he has not," he taunted, and Seungmin turned to Jeongin instantly, all thoughts of Changbin's whispers forgotten as he pursued more valuable and interesting knowledge.

"Indeed he has not! I wish to know at once."

"Well, first things first: Seungmin, should you accept, I would love for you to be my best man," Jeongin started off with, and Seungmin shrieked with delight, throwing his arms into the air as he bounced on the cushions beneath him repeatedly. Ophelia jerked awake at the noise, and leapt onto Seungmin's lap, as if in protest.

"I would love to, Jeongin!"

"I thought you would. That aside, you must let me try to charm Ophelia now, as I tell you the rest."

The evening progressed calmly after that, with Jeongin making very small but admittedly steady progress with enticing Ophelia to trust him, and recounting the details of his and Mr Felix's wedding back to Seungmin, as well as Changbin and Jisung, who had heard everything already but were more than happy, or even  _ insistent _ , to listen again.

It turned out that Mr Felix and Jeongin were planning for a Summer wedding, and would honeymoon in a destination that has been thoroughly debated, but not yet decided on, after which they would ride back to Camellia Estate, where they would wholly move in and begin their life together. Seungmin could not be happier to hear all of this, and enjoyed the sparks of excitement he felt for Jeongin upon taking everything in.

"A Summer wedding! Mean you to wed this year, or next?"

"This year... our engagement will be relatively short," Jeongin said shyly, and Jisung made a small whooping sound, mindful of the rest of the household likely being asleep but still needing a way to vocalise his joy.

"But it is already midway through Spring! Pray, what month have you decided on?"

"Felix would like the date itself to be the twenty-fifth of July," Jeongin said, and Changbin whistled merrily in response.

"A July wedding for yourself and Mr Felix, and then a September wedding for Chan and Yeji - indeed, these next two seasons will be merry indeed for love and unions!" Jisung exclaimed, clapping his hands together in glee. "I confess that I can hardly wait... but at the same time, I wish for the times to never come, for it will mean that I shall lose two dear brothers, as you both move away from home to start your own lives away from here."

"Dear Jisung, do not be so silly as to think that we will forget about you for even a minute; you are more than welcome to come and stay with us for as long as you may wish, and we shall stay in touch by writing to each other! Indeed, I will be moving away, but I will feel the loss of brotherhood four times as much as you, having lost all of my family at once in the pursuit of matrimony."

"We will miss you, Jeongin," Changbin whispered, and Jeongin smiled a bittersweet smile as he looked at each of his present brothers.

"I will miss you all, too. So very much."

The atmosphere between them grew sad then, which would never do when talking about a subject so happy and loving, and so Changbin tried a different approach, so that they would not go to bed with heavy hearts and swimming minds.

"Rest assured that we shall all appear at Camellia Estate when you least expect it, and eat you right out of house and home!" he cried, and Jeongin laughed loudly once more, the heaviness that once leaned heavily against each gentleman being broken at once. 

They each had a full right to be unhappy about having their youngest, and then eldest, brothers move out of their lifelong home thus far, but in the end, it was all for a happy reason, and was to be celebrated instead of dwelled on: life went on, and this would only bring each man more experiences and opportunities to enjoy.

After all, life was an adventure, and each stage was simply a new chapter of their own great storybooks.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

It seemed that Mr Minho was indeed more of a feline lover than he has originally let on, and from that day forth it was not uncommon for him to call upon the Kim household with the excuse of begging Ophelia’s trust from her little by little. Not that he  _ needed _ an excuse, for the Kim brethren were all very happy to receive him each time, and his visits added some flavour to their days that had before felt rather similar after returning from Choi Lodge. More often than not, Mr Felix would accompany him with the ulterior motive of seeing Jeongin once more, and something that was especially pleasing to Jisung was to see that after a few visits without a single Mr Hyunjin in sight, the last of the Lee gentlemen also began to visit whenever he could, telling the Kims that it was for the sole purpose of stealing Ophelia away from Mr Minho before he could earn her trust first.

The way that he scarcely paid attention to the cat in favour of seeking out Jisung earned his words a rather delicious contrast, especially in terms of the teasing Jisung could receive from his brothers after every day of Mr Hyunjin’s visiting. 

“And you will not teaze Jeongin or Seungmin as you are teasing me?” he whined one night, after a full hour of good humour directed at Jisung's apparent infatuation with Mr Hyunjin.

“Never, for Jeongin is engaged, and Seungmin shows no romantic interest in Mr Minho that we know of,” Chan said, and Changbin snorted as he smacked Chan on the back in hearty agreement to the first half of the statement, and the blatant lie in the second. However, nobody dared mention Seungmin's growing attachment to Mr Minho, as it was exceedingly clear that Seungmin himself was still blissfully unaware of said attachment, and so they left him to figure that out on his own, so that they could later reign supreme over him with their Seungmin-adapted teasing that they all longed to employ.

“Indeed, the first time that Mr Hyunjin came here I did quite think that Jisung’s eyes were going to pop right out of his head,” Changbin added, showing no mercy on his brother. “It was quite the spectacle. Do you think Mr Hyunjin noticed?”

“Whether he noticed and whether he found it endearing are the two separate questions here, and I would wager that he did both with vigour,” Chan said, and Seungmin and Jeongin simply laughed silently, holding back great tears of mirth at the betrayal painting Jisung’s face.

“Well,  _ do _ you like him, Jisung? Or is all of our teasing for nought?” 

“I… I confess that I do like him. Very much,” Jisung admitted, and was met at once with raucous hooting and whistles. “But it does not mean a thing if he does not feel the same way! Although we have become great friends, I have never received any hints of his inclination towards  _ me _ .” 

“Then you are a fool!” Jeongin cried passionately, “for we are not as blind as you are, and see full well that he regards you very highly: much above the rest of us, although we are all good friends with him by now as well.”

“I am no fool, I am simply cautious and sensible, as all must be in my position. I will admit that Mr Hyunjin is attentive, but nothing of the misleading variety. I am led to believe that he thinks of me only as a friend, and really, I am fine with that… I will grow to be at peace with it.” 

Chan softened visibly at Jisung’s apparent resignation, and drew closer to him, so that he may hug his brother and comfort him.

“I am sure that that is not the case,” he mumbled into Jisung’s hair, “but in the unlikely case that your regard for him leads you nowhere, you know that you have the rest of us to fall back on.”

“Although Mr Hyunjin is a simpleton indeed if he cannot perceive your regard for him, or return it himself, for he is an intelligent man, and you have liked many a stupider person in your lifetime,” Changbin pondered aloud, drawing careful circles on his knee with his fingertips. 

Seungmin thought that things may appear easier for Jisung if Mr Hyunjin should court Jisung as Mr Felix had to Jeongin at the very beginning of their acquaintance, for even a simple flower or invitation to visit Evergreen Manor and dine there would be sufficient to convince Jisung of his regard, and would be highly beneficial to his case. It did not take an owner of ingenuity to see which affections positively exuded from both men whilst they were in each other’s presence, but with Jisung being too uncertain to make the first move, Seungmin believed that the task would fall upon Mr Hyunjin, should he choose to grasp the opportunity.

“We must hope, then, that Mr Hyunjin will act upon the affections that he appears to harbour for you, Jisung. And for everyone’s sake, I hope that he does so soon.”

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

Strangely enough, another storm befell Maplebrook just a month into the summer season, by which time the rest of the Kims had fallen head over heels for little Ophelia, although the Lees had still been left with little luck regarding her favour. It was genuinely amusing to each Kim brother to see the Lee brethren arrive each day with the excuse of trying their hand at winning Ophelia over, only to be met with disinterested glances, running away or more unfortunately, a hiss or sharp claw from the feisty feline in question. Mr Minho was the only person who had come close to her pleasantry, and that was just once, around a week before the second storm, wherein she had let him stroke her back for a full minute before deciding to walk away to leap onto Changbin instead.

Mr Minho had looked up at Seungmin with his eyes blown wide in honour and awe, mouth agape as he let out a surprised laugh full of joy, beckoning for Seungmin to look at the development as if he had not already been watching, and when Ophelia had sauntered away he had not stopped talking about it for a full five minutes afterwards. Changbin had taken to snickering behind his hand, but Seungmin had admittedly been more than happy to humour Mr Minho, enjoying the way Mr Minho’s eyes shone in childlike recognition of his achievement, and the joy that he derived from something as simple as Ophelia allowing him to stroke her. It was incredibly endearing, but that was not yet something let himself acknowledge fully, not just yet.

In all fairness, the second storm was completely unanticipated by anyone: the day had started off wonderfully warm albeit a little humid, which they should have heeded as nature’s forewarning of the later change in weather. But either way it went unnoticed and unacknowledged, and so as the sky began to darken everybody headed back inside from the grounds of the Kim household to wait out what they initially thought was going to be a short spell of rain: they were very much mistaken.

Mr Hyunjin, Mr Felix  _ and _ Mr Minho were all present that day, and so as the eight of them piled into the drawing room it felt very full indeed. Eight gentlemen and a cat: a very unusual party, although not the most unusual as one should ever come across. 

When the first bout of thunder began to make itself heard, the Lee party looked at each other with unease. They should not outstay their welcome, but it would be unwise to leave in the midst of a storm, when they had horses to ride back to Evergreen Manor upon, who would easily get spooked by the lightning and thunder and therefore increase their own risk of getting bucked off and heavily injured. There was the option of walking the miles back to their Manor and collecting their horses another day, but it did not feel fair to unexpectedly burden the Kims’ small stables with three additional horses that would need a great deal of extra treatment in addition to the single horse that Mr Kim kept.

When Mr Minho mentioned this to Mr Felix in low tones, Changbin overheard them by chance and exclaimed his take on it at once, eager to eradicate any feelings of uncomfortability stemming from the illusion that the Lee’s were overstaying their welcome.

“Oh no, indeed! You must stay here until the storm has passed, for this was quite unprecedented, and nobody would have anticipated another one so soon. Do not put your health or horses at risk - we have food aplenty for if it has still not passed over by the time dinner comes around. Please, set your hearts at ease, and come and sit with us.”

Mr Minho and Mr Felix thanked Changbin profusely for his thoughtfulness, and sat down at once. The most unprecedented thing was yet to come, however, and came in the form of Ophelia leaping at once into Mr Minho’s lap entirely of her own choice, and refusing to obey anybody else’s calls or beckonings.

This was the most attention she had ever shown the man, and he gasped as she made herself comfortable, laying in a pile upon his thighs as he stroked her slowly. She would not go to anybody else, even Seungmin, to whom she had a particularly strong bond with, and that in itself surprised everybody no end.

“Perhaps she recognises the storm outside, and remembers how you were the first to try and coax her to safety a month ago,” Seungmin suggested, and Mr Minho gasped again, nodding in recognition.

“That must be it - good thinking Mr Seungmin, I thank you. Now I may boast of my life containing this very specific distinction: that I have finally been able to form a bond with the street cat that my good friends adopted out of the blue.”

“I should wonder that Seungmin does not look away soon, for he looks on the way to being very much in love with Mr Minho,” Jisung whispered to Mr Hyunjin, and Mr Felix by extension, who was seated on the other side of him, and they all chuckled lowly.

“I think that Minho is being careful, after his failed proposal and horrific approach to Mr Seungmin when first they met. If anything is to blossom betwixt them, it will have to be Mr Seungmin who initiates taking it further, I am afraid,” Mr Felix whispered back, and Jisung nodded in acknowledgement. It made perfect sense, of course, that Mr Minho should be extra careful now, but Mr Felix’s words had unknowingly informed Jisung of Mr Minho’s regard staying unfaltering and steady towards Seungmin, which was every bit of information that Jisung himself needed for now.

“He does regret how he first acted towards Mr Seungmin, although this is hardly my place to speak on this subject,” Mr Hyunjin confided in Jisung, taking great care to lower his voice almost beyond audibility to retain secrecy. “It was very unlike him, I will admit: very spontaneous and he hardly gave any time to know Mr Seungmin at all. He is a gentle soul, and incredibly kind and considerate, although sometimes he does not know how to act to those that he does not know: either way, it shocked us all to hear that he had proposed to Mr Seungmin without knowing him at all.”

“It was strange for us to hear, too, but I am glad that they are now taking the time to know each other as individuals, and that they did not let their awkward beginning prevent them from hardly knowing each other in the future,” Jisung agreed. “But now, let us change the subject: I feel awfully low and underhand discussing them like this, especially with them right under our noses. Have you any plans in the near future?”

Mr Hyunjin smiled warmly at him, and Jisung fought to keep a blush at bay. “Indeed, Mr Jisung: I was considering taking my horse out for a long ride sometime in the near future, and to make use of the good weather, I was planning to take a picnic with me. I say, would you be interested in joining me?”

Those words were far and beyond anything Jisung had been expecting, and he could barely contain his delight, although he did a very good job of masking it. “I thank you, yes. I should be delighted. Pray, who else will be coming?”

“No one so far, but should we invite the rest of our current party? We make a merry group.”

In another world Jisung may have felt dejected at the idea of being joined by six other people in what was implied to be some time alone with Mr Hyunjin without others, but all in all he was simply glad to be thought of as the first invitee! On one hand, he debated to himself, it might be seen as horribly improper if himself and Mr Hyunjin were to picnic together, alone and unchaperoned, but on the other hand Mr Hyunjin had never verbally hinted at any romantic inclination towards Jisung, and so Jisung could be reading this invitation completely wrong, and have Mr Hyunjin simply consider it an outing between two good friends.

“I am happy with either outcome: you will be the host, and so I leave it up to you,” was the reply that he settled on, genuinely meaning his words and finding himself perfectly at ease either way.

“Hmm… then, perhaps we should leave the rest out of this particular invitation. It would be lovely to spend more time with you, and finally have your unadulterated attention,” Mr Hyunjin smiled, his eyes turning into cheerful crescents before he turned to Changbin and engage him in conversation too - thankfully for Jisung, whose cheeks had certainly heated up beyond belief and honestly needed a minute or two to calm himself a little. He quite missed the way Mr Felix laughed quietly next to him, having overheard the entire exchange, and leant over to whisper something to Jeongin, who laughed too. 

“I should hope that this will be their sign to do something about their ridiculous pining, and put an end to this phase at once,” said he, and Mr Felix nodded in vehement agreement. They would see about that after the picnic itself had taken place.

  
  


Just two weeks later the fateful day had taken place, but unfortunately Jisung was still in high doubt of Mr Hyunjin’s regard for him, despite the day being one of the best of his entire life - and that alone had him in a state of high perplexity the entire evening after his return, retelling every detail to his brothers and begging that they analyse it for him.

At the end of the night he resolved to leave his own feelings on hold until after Jeongin’s wedding, which was fast approaching, for he did not wish to do something that would make relations between the Kim and Lee family awkward at such a bad time. After their union he would try again to make sense of things, but not a second before.

Perhaps this was slightly cowardly, but he had his brother’s best interests at heart, which was much more honourable than the element of cowardice. 

He had faith that whatever happened, things would happen exactly as fate wished it.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

Finally the date of Jeongin’s wedding drew close, and Seungmin awoke on the day to a flurry of activity outside his door as his mother practically ran through the household, screaming everybody awake so that they may dress for the ceremony. As was tradition with weddings, they waited for breakfast until after the ceremony: not that Seungmin felt that Jeongin could have eaten anyway, for the younger looked pale with nerves and excitement as he dressed himself in first a white muslin shirt, followed by a white silk cravat. This was paired by a navy cutaway jacket, left open and giving way to his waistcoat that Mr Felix had gifted him a few days prior for the sole purpose of their wedding. The waistcoat lent his outfit a splash of colour, being coral peach in colour, and was embroidered with the selfsame flowers that Mr Felix had knelt among as he proposed to Jeongin. It paired magnificently with the navy of his jacket, almost as if Mr Felix had planned it all along. 

This was worn, of course, with skin tight, dark breeches, stockings and pumps, and Seungmin, being best man, felt the need to put Jeongin’s hat onto his head for him, although his being best man was no reason to do that at all: perhaps he felt a stronger need to look after his brother one last time before he promised himself to someone that was not of their family. Either way, he felt an overwhelming surge of pride when he looked upon the finished look, and honestly admitted to feeling rather emotional at the sight of Jeongin dressed up for his own wedding. 

Their grandparents, true to their word, had travelled down to the Kim household two days prior to attend the wedding themselves, and although it was an event not widely celebrated as such Jeongin still felt immensely happy that they should join in the day regardless. As Seungmin pulled on his own hat he beamed from ear to ear, and hugged Chan with vigour as their eldest insisted on getting as many hugs as possible from Jeongin before the ceremony. This, of course, led to numerous group embraces with every brother squashed within a vice grip of each other, and if it happened to wrinkle their clothing just a little, nobody had anything to say about it.

“And it is such lovely weather today, too,” Mr Kim observed as he looked out of the window, and indeed it was: the sun shone brightly even in the early morning and lent a gentle warmth that made the surface of one’s skin tingle with such pleasantry that even if there was not a wedding to be seen today, one would still smile at the feeling, and feel uplifted by it. 

As the Kim and Choi entourage walked towards the church in the village of Maplebrook where the ceremony would take place, Seungmin, Jisung and Changbin ran ahead of Jeongin to throw sweet-smelling, bright flowers and herbs into Jeongin’s path, (Chan stayed behind to walk slowly alongside Jeongin, and savour the experience with him), and then when they reached the church they told Jeongin to walk slower, so that they might scatter them onto the church porch, too. Already a gathering of villagers and friends had formed outside the church, and everyone apart from Mr Kim, Seungmin and Jeongin himself entered, as Jeongin hung back, both to accept advanced congratulations and also to give his family a moment to announce his arrival before his entry. 

After a moment of talking and waiting, Mr Kim deemed it an acceptable time to enter for his son, and so Seungmin entered first, walking down the church aisle fully before Jeongin’s entry, and taking his place at the front, where Mr Felix and Mr Minho, too, awaited Jeongin’s presence. Catching both gentlemen’s eyes, Seungmin smiled at them silently in greeting, before the church doors opened again, and Jeongin walked in, arm in arm with his father and meeting Mr Felix’s eyes immediately.

There was no mistaking the instant jubilation on either groom’s face as they laid eyes on each other for the first time that day, and Jeongin’s face broke out in the greatest smile that Seungmin thought he had ever seen his brother wear in his entire life: if he had thought that Jeongin had smiled widely following his engagement, then that paled into opaqueness in comparison to today. In his distraction watching Jeongin’s exhilaration, Seungmin regrettably missed Mr Felix’s reaction, but the delighted laugh which he let out was more of enough indication that the couple getting married today were deeply and irrevocably in love. 

The service was short, and although the church was only full of immediate family: the Kim household and then the Lee household, and no more, there was certainly enough love between the newlyweds to fill the entire parish, and make it seem full to burst! 

At the end of the ceremony the two grooms shared a chaste kiss, which for their first one appeared completely natural and not at all awkward or stilted - so natural in fact that Seungmin had a sneaking suspicion that the two may have kissed once or twice  _ before _ their marriage, however they had managed that - but what his brother did or has done with Mr Felix was, quite frankly, none of his business, and he almost felt relieved at how easy it seemed for the two, with no embarrassing feelings lingering from one leaning too far to the left, or anything akin to that. He very much doubted his own suspicion, for Jeongin was honourable to the last, and Mr Felix too - perhaps kisses between two destined souls were always so easy and free after all.

They pulled away after a second, and Seungmin, having averted his eyes to give them a little privacy that was still unobtainable within the church, had met Mr Minho’s eyes across the nave, and seeing his own innate happiness and traces of joyful tears reflected back at him in the elder gentleman’s eyes, had widened his smile at him a fraction, raising his eyebrows in expression as they applauded Jeongin and Mr Felix. Mr Minho looked dashing indeed in his own best clothing, and at Seungmin’s smile his own grew almost shy, but no less endearing.

Unbeknownst to Seungmin, Mr Minho was in fact envisioning a very different wedding to the one taking place before their eyes: one wherein the best men of this wedding may be getting married instead, wherein he might hold Mr Seungmin as Felix was holding Mr Jeongin, and have their own love celebrated as specially and particularly as today. Of course, after his last vain attempt at gaining a chance at matrimony, he dared not ask again so soon, especially as himself and Mr Seungmin had grown so much closer over the past months, but today, as Mr Seungmin smiled at him above Felix and Mr Jeongin’s heads, Mr Minho allowed himself to hope like never before. Perhaps his end goal really  _ would _ be obtainable with the right approach, and he was willing to try everything within reason.

Once everything was over Mr Felix and Jeongin were, of course, led out of the church and greeted with uproarious cheer from their neighbours and friends who had waited outside to celebrate their emergence, and they threw flower petals high into the air above the newlyweds’ heads as they laughed with joy. They made immediately for their open-topped carriage, which was waiting on the road outside of the church grounds, and Mr Felix helped Jeongin into it before joining him. 

The entire Kim family stood on one side of the carriage whilst the decidedly smaller Lee entourage stood on the other: even young Chumni, who had been allowed to travel to Evergreen Manor for a few weeks away from her governess in order to celebrate Mr Felix’s marriage with the rest of her family. Each family bid their final congratulations and goodbyes to the couple, and then the carriage rode away into the summer, and Mr Felix and Jeongin’s silhouettes became smaller and smaller in everybody’s eyes’ view. 

However, what struck Seungmin as slightly strange was the way in which Mr Minho interacted with everybody outside of his immediate family and the Kims’ family. Perhaps it was the adrenaline of the day already making him weary, or --  _ or not. _ All at once, Seungmin realised that the stoutness and pride with which Mr Minho carried himself in the presence of strangers was a  _ cover _ , and that he had completely misjudged his character in the worst way possible when they had first met all this time ago. 

What he had first interpreted as a very better-than-thou show of airs and graces, was simply shyness for not knowing the people around him enough to properly engage with… all at once, Seungmin felt incredibly stupid for not having realised it at once. 

_Oh,_ Seungmin thought, _Oh…. Oh my, my, my..._ _If I could take back every moment of hostility I have ever held towards you, and replace them with a single minute with the ability to hold you as I whisper my thanks into your ear, I should be very well pleased._

At least now he knew better, and had been given the lucky second chance to get to know Mr Minho for himself, past the ignorant assumptions he had made. He shook his head minutely to clear it from those thoughts of wanting to  _ hold _ Mr Minho and apologise to him in such an intimate way… perhaps it was the romanticism of the day that served the urge to embrace him. He pushed the thought away entirely.

Still, he made up his mind resolutely to show extra kindness to the man today, in a small way to make up for the prejudices he had held against him in the first few weeks of their acquaintance.

After mingling with their neighbours and friends for a while, both the Kim and Lee family travel back to Evergreen Manor, where they have their wedding breakfast and celebrate without the couple themselves. 

It was a very welcome treat after such a busy morning, and Seungmin was all too happy to sit down betwixt Chan and Jisung to devour a hearty amount of buttered rolls, eggs and ham, and the drinking-chocolate placed in the centre of the table to mark the occasion was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Next to its jug sat the wedding-cake, ordered by the Lee’s - and this was shown clearly by the expensive, refined sugar icing replacing the typical browned almond icing - although it was left alone for the time being, as everybody agreed that the newlyweds should be the first to taste it, and they would send it directly to Camellia Estate at the nearest opportunity, where Jeongin and Mr Felix could decide for themselves who and which families they would send slices to. 

“One wedding down, and then one to go, ‘ey Chan?” Mr Kim exclaimed, raising a mug to his sons’ situations. “What a time we live in.”

“Such is the course of falling in love: unpredictable and then all at once,” Jisung added, and Mr Hyunjin made a loud sound of agreement across the table.

Miss Chumni caught Seungmin’s eyes across the table, and smiled heartily, eating her toast with great enthusiasm and merriment. 

“And our Chumni has been slaving away at the pianoforte, have you not?” Mr Hyunjin said after another while of chatter, bringing the table’s attention to Miss Chumni, who flushed a little under the heavy attention. “I daresay she has much improved this year.”

“Once we have eaten, shall we hear a composition from you, then, Miss Chumni?” Seungmin suggested, setting down his cutlery after he finished his mouthful. “Of course, I am sure there is no obligation. But I do long to hear you play after you told me last year of your longing to better yourself in the art of it!”

“Oh, I still do not play so incredibly well, but if it is you requesting, Mr Seungmin, then I shall be happy to oblige,” said she, “and to honour the occasion, too.”

“There has rarely been such a happy sound as music, apart from laughter, perhaps,” Mr Minho said approvingly, and at once Miss Chumni seemed more at ease at the idea of playing for such a group. 

Miss Chumni turned to Mr Minho then, and with a mischievous glint in her eye, asked of him that he should play a duet with her, to ease her into public playing. Ever the ideal elder brother, Mr Minho obliged her wishes, and promised to play a single duet with her before roping Mr Hyunjin into the deed too, which pleased Miss Chumni greatly: playing duets with both of her brothers in celebration of Mr Felix’s marriage? It was a fair idea indeed.

It was only when the party sat down in the next room to see and hear Miss Chumni play when it finally hit Seungmin, and by goodness, it hit him like a tonne of bricks falling from the greatest height imaginable.

Surrounded by his family and the Lees, sitting comfortably on their furniture that certainly cost a pretty penny more than the furniture at the Kims’ own home, watching fixedly as Mr Minho sat down beside Miss Chumni, and played a song of happiness with her on their pianoforte. From the sight of Mr Minho playing in such good humour, and whispering praises and encouragement to Miss Chumni whenever she missed or floundered a key, to the way that he stepped aside and let his little sister bask in all of the ending applause rather than sharing in the glory himself… it all made Seungmin feel rather _different_.

Different in a way that set his cheeks alight, and his heart fluttered with butterflies and nightingales whilst his skin itched with the urge to be closer to the gentleman who solely occupied his vision. As Mr Minho drew away from his sister to let Mr Hyunjin sit beside her at the pianoforte instead, Seungmin allowed his eyes to close just for a moment, as he exhaled shakily before sitting back down himself. 

At least the sudden longing for romantic intimacy with Mr Minho now had a name to its mystery.

  
  


However everything had happened - and it had been rocky to begin with, mind you - Seungmin had only just realised that now, he had fallen head over heels for Mr Minho. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IN SUMMARY: Cat addition, hyunsung development?????, jeonglix wedding, 2min realisation FINALLY!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! we finally have a realisation, and i can tell you that there's not much left for this fic - we are very near the end! the biggest thank you ever to those who have been commenting and following along each update, i really can't thank you enough: each and every comment fills me with enough joy to make me do a lil happy dance as i read them <3
> 
> also!!!! little spoiler for an upcoming fic: you may be wondering why I didn't add much detail about the hyunsung picnic. this is because once this fic is finished i'll be giving hyunsung their own spinoff, which will likely be a short, singular chapter fic, unlike this lengthy one. i loved them too much here to not give their relationship special attention and write about how they both got to know each other in jeonglix/2min's shadows! so look out for that if you're interested [eye emoji]
> 
> also also!!!! i finally set up a kofi, which you can follow on here: https://ko-fi.com/rainydays325 .   
> have an amazing day, and thank you again for making it this far!


	8. chapter eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> reunions, another wedding, and bonding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I didn't really know whether to update today, what with everything going on regarding skz and hyunjin - but I hope that this will bring you all some happiness or a distraction among the confusion and hurt we're feeling right now. have a glass of water, and remember to take a break if you need to - take care of yourselves; you come first and foremost. I hope that soon we'll see better days, and fuck jype <3

A few weeks had passed since the wedding, and slowly but surely the Kim household were getting used to the absence of Jeongin within their lives. Granted, they each sent him letters aplenty, to the point that everyone was quite sure that their youngest would be quite sick of their updates by now - indeed, during his honeymoon he had scarcely time to write them back at all, but that was of little matter to anybody, so long as they knew that he was engaged in happy activities. 

Seungmin had completely glossed over his new realisation of his regard for Mr Minho in every letter thus far, for he wanted time to mull it over himself before confiding in anybody else. However, just as he would normally do, he wanted Jeongin to be the first to know, and gain his good opinion before any others, and so he decided one month after the wedding, a few days after Jeongin and Mr Felix were known to have returned from their honeymoon, to write to him with the sole purpose of informing him about his predicament. Granted, he did tiptoe around the topic for a good while before he could force himself to write it, but at last he composed a letter, and once he had finished he already felt a great weight had lifted from his being, just from the fact that he had  _ externally _ admitted things in some way.

_ Dear Jeongin,  _ [it read,]

_ Although you are likely sick of the well-wishes by now, I would like to start my first letter to you as a married man with another congratulations. I hope that life with Mr Felix at Camellia Estate is everything you wished for and more, and I expect an invite to come and visit you soon! We all miss you dearly. _

_ Chan has been preparing to move away, too, starting this week: I know it is a very long trip to make, but will we be seeing you at his wedding next month? I do hope so, but do not make yourself uneasy if you cannot. Home feels rather barren with the absence of both yourself and Chan, on the days that he leaves the house for. It gives Jisung, Changbin and I a taste of what life will be like with two brothers married and away! _

_ There is a more… interesting, I think you will find - part of this letter, and it is the part of which I will address with the most ink and care. I have not told anybody about this yet, for I am lacking in my dearest younger brother, whom I usually seek out first to confide in! Oh, how I wish you were here, so that I could tell you this personally, and have you laugh at me for my foolishness.  _

_ This feels strange to be writing down, it is like I am finally admitting it to myself. Indeed, the procrastination of my confession has made me well-versed in circumlocution. But I shall not waste paper, time or ink any longer, so here it is in all its glory: I am... deeply... in love with Mr Minho. It is beautifully ironic, how I only realised this at your very wedding breakfast! But now I feel so silly, in that I could not simply confess as I should like to, given our history. It feels much more difficult, and altogether more burdensome - this is not a matter of admiration or liking, it is fully-fledged love, which I do not take lightly… I do not know what to do! _

_ I shall keep you updated, as to my predicament. We may or may not see progress as I begin to observe Mr Minho more intensely, in order to gauge his regard for me, before acting on anything myself. Wish me luck! _

_ Disregarding that for the time being, I hope that your honeymoon with Mr Felix has been the most loveliest time of your life. Indeed I have never seen two souls more meant for each other - again, I wish you both every happiness. Please do keep me informed on everything you wish to! I would love to hear everything that you have to tell. _

_ Thus ends my letter for now - I shall write again soon, and hope to hear from you when you have the time! _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Seungmin. _

It did not take long to receive a letter back, written carefully in Jeongin’s elegant cursive.

_ Seungmin,  _

_ Surely you cannot expect me to respond to your letter in an orderly fashion after that you have just informed me! To be completely honest, I had suspected as much - your sudden declaration of love for Mr Minho is nothing of surprising nature to me, although I did debate acting as such.  _

_ Considering your history I would still say that you have nothing to fear or hold back for! Yes, you rejected Mr Minho’s proposal, but that was when you both hardly knew each other, and it was a sensible action on your behalf. He clearly recognised his mistakes and has made an effort to properly get to know you, and if I did not know better then I would speculate that that his purpose was to then renew his affections to you later on. _

_ Acknowledging that he did not tell me this, I am still suggesting it to be a possibility - but oh, how I wish I could be back home just for a moment, so that I may tease you as we did Jisung about Mr Hyunjin! But in all seriousness, Seungmin, my most absolute advice here is to follow your heart. Please do not let miscommunication drive you both away from each other as it did myself and Felix - I fear that were it not for my near-tragedy that night, we may never have cleared our misunderstanding up. It is my greatest wish to see you as happy as I, and so please, I urge you to act only in the manner of securing your own happiness, and so if this means stepping out of your comfort zone a little to tell Mr Minho how you feel, then so be it. I believe in you. _

_ In other words, married life at Camellia Estate has been relatively calm since our honeymoon! Granted, we have Felix’s relatives visiting left, right and centre, and I think that I have met every single one of his little cousins and baby relatives too - but it has been so lovely and pleasant to meet them all, and they are such dear people. Despite our business, Felix is determined to still take time alone solely to devote to me, and although I do not deem it strictly necessary, as we have the rest of our lives to spend together, and his relatives each leave after a few days or a week. Still he refuses to back down, for the act of not making room for me reminds him too greatly of when he did not have time to reach out to us in Discidium.  _

_ I would likely argue more if it did not please me so much - how could I possibly reject spending more time with him, just us? The grounds at Camellia are wonderful for walking in, and as the summer begins to fade I grow ever fonder of it and its beauty. I truly feel as though I am living in a fairytale.  _

_ Oh - the topic of children came up at breakfast yesterday, too. Felix’s cousins, who have a newborn themselves, asked if we should ever consider adoption, and truth be told, I am not against it. Granted, I had never considered it before, not fully, but the way Felix’s eyes shone brighter than any star in the sky at the idea, and turned to me with his body language so hopeful and happy, I could not think of any other answer but confirmation. We talked about it some more last night as we took an evening walk in the gardens, but there is nothing definite yet - although we have now solid plans to adopt at some point in the future. You are all to be uncles! And what good uncles you shall make.  _

_ Here ends my letter for now, for I now have business to attend to in the form of teaching one of Felix’s young cushions the art of duelling, from my limited knowledge I have picked up from Felix himself. We shall see how I fare: I urge you to pray for me, that I should make it out alive! _

_ Sincerely and faithfully, _

_ Jeongin.  _

With a wistful smile Seungmin read and then folded the letter, and placed it carefully beneath a book on his bedside, so that it may be protected from any winds or breezes from the open window that might misplace or ruffle it. He would reply to it tonight, once he had time to coherently reply, and his mind was not sleep-hazed and muddled.

Tonight, that is - after the ball. Two weeks ago they had received an invitation from the Lee family once again, letting them know that another ball was to be held, and that they were invited. Indeed, with the two families united through Mr Felix and Jeongin’s marriage it would have been a great scandal to have  _ not _ been invited, not to mention every son’s close bond of friendship with each other, but nonetheless it was just as exciting to receive an invitation when it came. For now, however, Seungmin planned to spend the day walking, although not too much - he wanted to keep his energy for dancing - and annoying his brothers, could they be found to do so.

“It shall feel rather strange without Mr Felix and our Jeongin at the ball tonight, for for the past year they have been quite the centre of our attention every time,” Chan commented as he ate his breakfast, spraying toast crumbs everywhere as he spoke and making Changbin snicker at the sight. 

“Indeed it shall: we need a new focal point. Shall it be Jisung and Mr Hyunjin, or Seungmin and Mr Minho?” Changbin replied teasingly, and Jisung, who was sitting next to him, returned the banter with a smack to the shoulder, which made Changbin pretend to cry out in pain. 

“I vote to focus on Seungmin, and not I. Don’t let's solely focus on my struggles!”

Seungmin nearly choked on his tea in his haste to refute. “Upon --” he stopped to cough loudly, and none of his brothers came to his aid, for they were laughing much too hard - “Upon my word, these are bold assumptions! To think that I have never confessed anything of the sort, yet you continue to teaze me so.” This was wonderfully ironic, and he felt it in his heart, for he had indeed confessed it already - but only to himself and Jeongin, over their letters, and never yet aloud to anybody. It was as though his brothers had a self-built Seungmin Lie Detector within their very DNA; wired to sense when he was speaking untruths.

“I do not fully believe you, Seungmin, but for now we shall observe before saying anything further. May we see how Mr Minho treats you tonight too, and whether he will dance with anybody too! We already know how he treats us all on a daily basis, thanks to Ophelia, but the persona of Mr Minho at a ball is something that we have all yet to figure out.” Gesturing clumsily with his fork, Jisung’s words made Seungmin groan aloud, which drew laughter from his brothers.

“I shall not have nearly as much fun at tonight’s ball if I am aware of your eyes following my every move,” Seungmin complained, and Chan laughed aloud as Changbin replied, his voice full of delight.

“You shan’t feel any of our eyes, rest assured! For we will be looking at  _ Mr Minho. _ Clearly, you will not be in our lines of sight at all.” he finished his teasing with a sly wink, and Seungmin groaned again. 

“I shall have to distract you with your own particular friends.”

“I shall have them join us!” Changbin replied cheerfully, and Jisung snorted obscenely. 

It was no secret that everybody doubted the presence of any of the Lee family coming to call upon them today, for they would see them tonight regardless - so it came as a huge surprise to Seungmin when, upon leaving the household in order to amble out onto a country lane for some fresh air, he happened upon Mr Minho once more, who had held within his arms a great bundle tied together with brown paper, and tied with string. It was around the size of his upper body, and looked bulky, and immediately piqued Seungmin’s interest.

“Mr Minho,” he greeted in surprise, and tried in vain to calm his erratic heart, of which was racing even harder than when he  _ expected _ to see Mr Minho. Of course, he had toyed with the fantasy of meeting Mr Minho on his stroll, for who would not want to run into the object of their affections anywhere and everywhere they went? - but to fantasise was one thing, and to see him another: and Seungmin was positive that he was painted every colour of shock. 

“Mr Seungmin,” Mr Minho returned warmly, and at once held out the bundle of wrapped paper and string, but did not yet let Seungmin take hold of it. “I -- this is for you. Are you headed home?”

“I was just taking a walk, actually - would you like to join me?” Seungmin asked, and Mr Minho positived his question immediately, and they settled into an easy step beside each other. “What is this you have given me?”

“It might be easier for you to open it, rather than have me explain what it is now. It would be easier still if you were to wait until we have returned to your household, or have stopped somewhere, for I imagine it shall be difficult to open whilst walking.” For the time being, Mr Minho held onto the gift, not wanting and stoutly refusing to cause Seungmin any sort of inconvenience by passing it to him, for he would rather he walked as freely and as comfortably as ever. 

“I do not often verbally comment on the weather, but today really does hold such a beautiful countenance,” Seungmin commented, gazing with awe at the August sun that filtered through the trees and cast an otherworldly glow onto the grass and worn tracks beneath their feet. He was glad that the September chill had not yet started to invade the month, for the temperature was very comfortable today, and was hot enough to make Seungmin’s skin tingle pleasantly where the sun kissed him through his clothes and jacket, and set a rosy flush upon his cheeks.

“It is indeed beautiful,” Mr Minho replied, and his voice held a sort of whispered tone to it, and Seungmin turned his head to find the gentleman looking only at him, their surroundings completely disregarded as he spoke. Seungmin chose not to let himself think of what Mr Minho  _ could _ have been referring to, and instead convinced himself that Mr Minho simply wanted to make sure that Seungmin could hear him clearly by turning his face towards his ear. That must be it. 

Seungmin shook his head and carried on. “I have with me a pocketbook of poetry that I was going to sit and read beneath that willow-tree you found me beneath last winter - that was my initial destination. I do not wish to keep you from the rest of your day, but if not you are welcome to join, and keep me company.”

“I did not have any more plans, apart from the ball tonight,” Mr Minho said, “and so provided that I would not be disturbing you, I should be infinitely glad to join you. Perhaps you could read your favourite poems aloud to me?”

Such a question begged to connote intimacy, and Seungmin struggled to hear his own words over his rushing heartbeat, like thunder in his ears. “I am not a great reader, I warn you.”

“I should still be glad to hear your favourite words fall from your lips, as long as you are comfortable with it… to hear one’s most treasured excerpts and poems is to look into their soul, and I wish to know yours as much as you will let me.”

Seungmin was stunned, for lack of better words - surely, Mr Minho did not mean his words in a platonic sense.  _ Every word of yours is poetry to me, _ he wanted to say, but refrained from vocalising this in fear of reading the situation wrong, or being too forward. He could only be cautious, and from the excessive praise he had heard regarding Mr Minho, he had not the room to make romantic assumptions, as much as he would have liked to.

“Oh… well then, in that case I shan’t refuse.” 

It did not take long for them to reach the tree that Seungmin had in mind, and once they had sat down Mr Minho stopped Seungmin before he could pull out his pocketbook of poems to read from.

“Wait,” he requested, “just for a moment.” Setting his bundle on the grass beneath them both, he gestured for Seungmin to take it, and bid that he should open it now, if he wanted to, for they were no longer walking, and he was not sure whether Seungmin would feel awkward opening an unprecedented gift in front of his family and brothers, whom he had already noticed were prone to subtle teasing. It was this kind of thoughtfulness that only recommended the gentleman  _ more _ to Seungmin, who thanked him graciously and pulled the parcel into his lap - he was all too happy to open it now, for it had been plaguing his mind since he had first laid eyes on it.

Pulling away the thick brown paper, Seungmin was every bit surprised to find thick, soft wool, knitted and stitched in the colour of realgar orange-yellow. He gasped, and pulled the paper further away from the blanket, so that he might admire it in its entirety, bunching his hands in the soft material and revelling in its comfort. The wool was wonderfully silky in its feeling, and thicker than Seungmin had ever seen nor felt, and its pattern was not one that he himself had ever observed before, in clothing or blankets alike: indeed, it looked very complex indeed, but the wool’s viscous texture made it so that there were little gaps, if at all, between each stitch. Seungmin had already grown attached within _seconds_ of possession.

“I took up knitting after my sister made me a scarf last winter, and this shade of wool reminded me of your warmth,” Mr Minho murmured, watching Seungmin’s wordless reaction carefully. “I remembered that you like to sit beneath this tree to read, even in the winter, and you did not have any protection apart from clothing the last time I saw you doing so… so I made this, in the hopes that it will protect you further in the future.”

Seungmin looked up at Mr Minho, fighting to keep touched tears from welling up in his eyes. 

“I am well aware that such a gift may be regarded as improper, and there is no obligation to accept it. I am giving it to you now, before the weather begins to turn colder, so that you will not be caught a day of chills without it, should you choose to accept it.”

“Oh…” Seungmin whispered, and brought a hand to his mouth, truly not knowing how to respond. “Sir, I thank you. This may be the most meaningful gift I have ever received - I know not how to thank you properly…”

“You may thank me by using it well, and staying warm in the winter,” Mr Minho replied softly, with the gentlest of smiles sitting beautifully within his features. 

Usually, Seungmin was one who could easily express his feelings through words, but now he felt completely robbed of every word he knew - suddenly, his only love language was touch, and he wanted nothing more than to throw himself at the gentleman sitting next to him, and wrap his arms around him, and convey his thankfulness through embraces and gentle touches. Such was love, he wagered - but that irony did not make that untouchableness any less beautiful.

“I… I will. I promise you…. thank you, thank you so much,” he whispered instead, and wondered if he would ever be able to convey the weight of his feelings to Mr Minho.

By the look on his face, he understood. He understood Seungmin perfectly.

“Now, let us hear your poems,” Mr Minho said brightly, sitting back against the trunk of their willow tree as Seungmin nodded and pulled out his pocketbook, before pulling the folded blanket further into his lap. “Mr Seungmin, it is so hot today! Pray, put the blanket back into its paper and leave it beside you - surely you are too hot like this.”

“Nay, I wish to keep it here for the time being. I could not possibly part with it just yet, not when you have made this yourself,” Seungmin admitted quietly, genuinely unwilling to part with the blanket at all until they had to leave, wherein he would take it home and stash it safely away until he could make use of it again. Mr Minho softened in understanding, and he seemed at first to reach out a hand, as if he were about to lay it on Seungmin’s arm or even shoulder, but it fell back to his side before Seungmin could process its movement, leaving him confused and with his heart in his throat as he realised what had almost happened. 

“Very well. Pray, do not overheat because of me,” Mr Minho begged of Seungmin, and Seungmin promised that he would not. 

“My favourite sonnets are those of Shakespeare and Keats,” he began, “and although my favourites fluctuate depending on the season and mood, I have recently found myself enamoured with ‘ _ Sonnet 116’ _ and ‘ _ Ode to a Nightingale’ _ .”

“Ah, where love  _ “bears it out ev’n to the edge of doom,” _ , and the beauty of the “ _ full-throated” _ nightingale’s song,” Mr Minho returned contently, and Seungmin could only think about how wonderful it was, that he could quote the poem back to him on memory alone.

“Indeed - sir, if you know these poems as well as I then I beg that you read one aloud, and I the other, to balance the pressure,” Seungmin challenged boldly, and Mr Minho agreed right away. 

Naturally, with his painful amount of love for the other, Seungmin was as reluctant to read  _ Sonnet 116 _ aloud as Ophelia had been to play with the string Changbin had dangled in front of her the previous night, and so Seungmin bagged Keats’ poem to read instead, although it was infinitely the longer of the two. He went first, and Mr Minho listened with every possible attention, plucking out single strands of grass from the ground in front of him as he leant back on one hand, so that he might view Seungmin a little better from that angle. 

What he found was nothing lacking or unextraordinary: rather, the sunlight framed Mr Seungmin’s face and hair like a glowing halo, and the midges that floated and buzzed in a small group nearby were also illuminated, looking more like fireflies than dull insects packing a nasty bite. He truly was the most beautiful being that Minho had ever laid eyes upon. 

Seungmin, however, had doubted the feelings that would arise to hear the words uttered about love being an _ever-fixed mark_ _that looks on tempests and is never shaken_ , knowing full well that the poem encompassed his own feelings for the gentleman sitting next to him and reading the poem out so carefully, so emotionally, as if he, too, could feel what Seungmin himself was feeling. Truly, Seungmin had not been prepared in the least: he had the urge to scream, and had to control himself to a great extent to prevent himself from doing so. The _rosy lips and cheeks_ described in the poem were only mirrored within the man reading them, and as Mr Minho looked up to meet Seungmin’s eyes as he read, _Love alters not with with his brief hours and weeks,_ Seungmin had never felt more deliriously in love as he did right there and then. 

By the time Mr Minho had mercifully finished the sonnet, both gentlemen’s cheeks were aflame, and Seungmin was sure that his own matched the shade of the blanket that still sat both softly and heavily upon his legs. 

Mr Minho broke the resulting silence between them with a small cough, and Seungmin snapped back to attention, blinking quickly and breaking the steady eye contact he had been holding with Mr Minho. The other gentleman laughed quietly at Seungmin’s flustered behaviour, and pulled his pocket-watch from his innermost pocket, checking the time with one hand. 

“Goodness, it is already late in the afternoon. It is with regret that I must take my leave, Mr Seungmin,” he announced, and stood abruptly, brushing away the residual dirt from the ground sticking to his trouser-legs and breeches. “I will see you tonight?”

“You will,” Seungmin confirmed quietly, and then Mr Minho nodded and bowed, before speed walking back away in the direction of town. Seungmin was left feeling very small, suddenly, and vulnerable. Once Mr Minho was out of sight he, too, left the field and willow-tree behind, gathering the blanket back up and folding it carefully, so that it fit back into the paper that it was gifted to him in, to make for easier and less conspicuous carrying. Luckily he managed to arrive home without his brothers seeing him intercepting his journey to his bedroom, where he set the wrapped blanket onto the foot of his bed to sort out and put away later - for now, he felt the need to talk to somebody. 

With Jeongin gone, his most obvious confider was unreachable at present - so Seungmin decided to seek out Chan, whom he trusted to be the least teasing in a serious situation.

“Chan?” he called, walking through the house, but to no avail - Chan was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he was outside, as he had not mentioned leaving the grounds today, and so could not be far. And indeed - he was in the garden, but surrounded by Jisung and Changbin, and instantly nipping Seungmin’s hope of a one-to-one discussion in the bud. All of his brethren would undoubtedly find out about today eventually, so instead of shying away, Seungmin decided to plunge into the deep end of the day and tell them all right away: in essence, it was likely much easier this way, so that the story would not get passed from brother to brother, or have to be retold again and again. 

“Seungmin! Did you enjoy your walk?” Changbin greeted as Seungmin joined them, but instantly Jisung sensed that something was afoot, and his expression quickly grew mischievous. 

“Seungmin, you look as flushed as anything,” Jisung observed, and patted Seungmin’s cheek none too gently. “Normally the sun does not make you so. Could it be, perhaps, that something unprecedented has already happened today?”

“However did you guess so quickly?” Seungmin complained, and Chan and Changbin laughed heartily as Jisung pressed his brother for details.

“I was walking on the dust path that takes us to my favourite willow-tree, you know the one - and then who should turn up but Mr Minho himself? He was holding a large package, wrapped with paper and string, and announced that it was for me, before asking if he could join me on my walk. I obliged, and once we had reached the willow we sat beneath it, and he gave me his gift, and then read Shakespeare’s  _ Sonnet 116 _ to me, after I read Keats'  _ Ode to a Nightingale _ to him.”

It was very safe to say that each brother was completely robbed of anything to say to that, even though Seungmin had not specified what his unprecedented gift had been. Changbin was the first to regain speech, and used his power of words and freedom of speech to his every advantage.

“You read  _ poetry _ together? Mr Minho read you  _ Sonnet 116? _ He gave you a  _ gift _ , and you are not even  _ courting _ that we know of - Seungmin, Seungmin, please tell us that you are courting.”

“I do not think that we are courting? -- that is, it has never been acknowledged or asked about, and there have been none of the typical signs as Jeongin received from Mr Felix,” Seungmin exclaimed, feeling as confused as any of his brethren. “Indeed, I am only led to believe that we are good friends, and nothing more.”

“He read you a love sonnet!” Jisung cried in frustration. “Could it be any more obvious?”

“He read that to me because he wanted  _ me _ to read one to  _ him _ , and of the two favourites I listed I could not bear to be the one who read  _ him _ a love sonnet aloud,” Seungmin replied with feeling. “Perhaps it would be more telling if I had asked  _ him _ to recite a poem of his choice instead.”

“The attention you are paying to this is astounding,” Chan said suddenly, his hands framing his chin as if he were deep in thought. “I thought that you did not hold Mr Minho in romantic regard.”

“I… Well,” Seungmin floundered, knowing already that he was caught in the act by the way his cheeks were instantly set aflame, and his words completely left him. “I…”

“He does indeed!” Changbin crowed happily, and Jisung joined him in a happy jig around the nearest tree. “We knew all along!”

“I… will admit that I like him… I like him very much,” Seungmin admitted, knowing that the cat was out of the bag, and he would do no good for himself by trying to fool his way out of things by now. However, he stoutly refused to voice aloud that he  _ loved _ Mr Minho. Not just yet. That was only acknowledged to Jeongin in his letter, and say it aloud he would not, for the time being - his brothers would become truly insufferable if they knew of the strength of his feelings.

“Old news!” Jisung sang, and Chan clapped Seungmin on the shoulder, congratulating him for his long-awaited revelation. 

“Pray, you have not told us of your gift yet. What was it that Mr Minho brought to you?” he then inquired, and Changbin and Jisung stopped in the middle of their victory jig to lean in and listen intently.

“He… he took up knitting after his sister made him a scarf last winter. He had happened upon me last winter too, sitting under the willow-tree in the frost, reading a book, and so today he gave me a blanket that he had knitted himself, to help me stay warmer and protect me from catching cold.”

“Truly noble is this gentleman! Forgo courting and marry him on the spot: you are both clearly past the admiration and tentative foot of your relationship!” Chan celebrated, throwing his hands in the air. “I beg of you: show us the blanket. I must see it.”

“You will not see the blanket for as long as I can help it, as punishment for your glee in response to my turmoil,” Seungmin whined. 

“A hand-knitted blanket is certainly not a courting-gift -- rather, it is something I would expect one’s spouse to give their own spouse on a wedding-anniversary,” Jisung observed thoughtfully. “Could it be counted as a courting-gift, do you think?”

“I am not sure if it could be considered a little improper, if it is indeed a gift of courting nature,” Chan considered, “but incredibly sweet nonetheless - and completely harmless. Say, Seungmin, should one of us attempt to ask Mr Minho about it later tonight, at the ball? We could observe the blanket, with an air of casualness and nonchalance - see if he blushes.”

Seungmin hesitated, for he did indeed want to know if the blanket was intended as a loving gesture, and not one of platonic care. For all he knew, Mr Minho could be looking out for him as a brother - and with no other romantic gestures or initiating of courting, he was very well to think that as well… had the stolen glances and blushes betwixt them not put doubt into his mind, that is. Perhaps he  _ should _ finally allow his brothers to sleuth for him, for it was not as though they were not also good friends with Mr Minho regardless. Indeed, it would certainly seem like less of an intrusive interrogation than it would a friendly observation - and for this reason, he obliged, and begged that his brothers would try to find out what they could, if only for Seungmin’s own peace of mind at the end of the day. He hoped that they could draw some useful information from it, no matter the outcome.

After that the afternoon passed quickly, for Seungmin then had to show his brothers the blanket -- this gained him many playful shoves and positively deafening hoots that had made their head servant come running in concern -- before the buildup to the evening was spent getting ready and eating, for the ball was not one wherein a formal meal would be held, and the boys very much doubted that they would have much time for eating with all the talking and dancing they would be doing. 

“Yuna and Jisu should be happy indeed to learn of everything we have learned today,” Changbin sniggered into the palm of his hand as they all entered Evergreen Manor that night, “I shall tell them at the first opportunity.”

“Not if I get to them first,” Seungmin snarked back, determined to be the one to tell his close friends of the day’s events, and not have them hear it first from Changbin’s hyperbolic mouth. 

“You will do nothing of the sort - look, there is Mr Minho right now,” Jisung stopped Seungmin in his tracks, and Chan could be heard laughing to himself behind the two as, as if drawn by a magnet, Mr Minho’s eyes immediately found Seungmin the minute he entered the room, and made a beeline for the Kims immediately.

“Mr Chan, Mr Changbin, Mr Jisung, Mr Seungmin - you are all very welcome,” greeted he, and the brothers all greeted him back with the same enthusiasm. “Mr Jisung - Hyunjin has been watching out for you, in particular. I think he is currently in the main ballroom.”

“Oh - thank you kindly, sir,” Jisung replied, and let go of Seungmin’s arm to scurry across the manor in search of the object of his hidden affections. 

“Oh look, there are Miss Yuna and Miss Jisu!” Seungmin pointed out in glee, and grabbed Changbin’s sleeve to stop him from running at full-pelt in a very improper manner across the room. “Shall we go and greet them?”

“What an original idea, Seungmin,” Changbin tried to yank his sleeve from Seungmin’s vice grip, but to no avail. “Let us go over now.”

“You cannot inform them of today’s events with Mr Minho right beside us all,” Seungmin muttered into Changbin’s ear as they walked, and Mr Minho joined Chan at the back of the group as they made their way over. “Checkmate.”

“I will find a way, rest assured,” Changbin cackled lowly, “is not there dancing already? It would be so unfortunate if Mr Minho were to whisk you away to dance with before you could have a moment alone with your friends.”

“You are a monster,” Seungmin whispered, but there was no bite behind his words, and perhaps it was love making him soft, but the idea of a dance with Mr Minho really did make the idea of Changbin telling what was rightfully  _ his  _ story, that little bit more bearable. 

“Miss Jisu, Miss Yuna!” Seungmin greeted as finally they met with his friends, and the group took turns greeting both of the young ladies, who were just as enthusiastic to see them as they were. 

“We simply must catch up - we have been away from each other for far too long, and your letters only tell us the vital details of your life - we have not the blessing of embellishments and details,” Miss Yuna emphasised, and led the small group over to some seats immediately. “Let us relax, and fill each other in on everything necessary. We have not seen you since Mr Jeongin’s wedding!”

“Indeed we have not,” Seungmin laughed, and to his relief Changbin sat down a few seats away from Miss Yuna and Jisu, allowing Seungmin the brunt of the conversation, which he would be all too happy to take control of if not for Mr Minho’s presence beside him. It was by no means unwelcome: quite the opposite, but when the subject of Seungmin’s wanted conversation had already made himself comfortable beside him, it was hard to think of how to orchestrate it.

“Mr Minho!” it was Jisung, rosy-cheeked and a little breathless as he reappeared, with no sign of Mr Hyunjin in sight. “Mr Hyunjin had to leave for a moment, to fetch something - or something similar to that excuse - I confess I did not quite catch what he said. But he told me that in his absence, as my favourite dance is about to be played, to tell you that he begs you dance with me instead!”

Seungmin almost snorted as he saw Mr Hyunjin poke his head around the doorframe to watch Jisung talk with a small smile on his face. Clearly they were in cohorts: but as Mr Minho seemed blissfully ignorant of the fact, he nodded and took Jisung’s hand as he stood.

“Then let us not disappoint you, or Hyunjin.” the two left at once for the main ballroom, and Seungmin snorted again at the disbelief painting Changbin’s face.

“Wipe that look from your face, people will talk about it,” Chan teazed him, and at once Seungmin turned to Miss Yuna and Miss Jisu, not wanting to waste a single second before he would be rendered silent again by Mr Minho’s presence. he was swift indeed: and only talked of Mr Minho, for he could talk of everything else later. Within the time that Jisung and Mr Minho had danced just one dance and returned again, with Jisung rejoining Mr Hyunjin, who looked all too smug about the ordeal across the room, Seungmin had successfully managed to tell his friends everything: from his regard of romantic  _ like _ for Mr Minho, to the blanket, and their bonding over little Ophelia. 

(“Do you mean to tell us that you are effectively parenting a cat together and still are not yet formally courting?” Miss Jisu had said, in utter disbelief, and Seungmin had not been able to reply.)

For now, however, Mr Minho once again occupied the seat beside Seungmin, who let the main conversation flow more easily between everybody as a group as a pose to himself quickly filling in the gaps left in his letters, and as usual, he was drawn back into conversation with Mr Minho alone, and the rest of the world faded away. 

For once, Seungmin could not pay attention to the words Mr Minho was speaking to him, for in this close proximity he could observe his eyes in all their glory, and their catlike beauty and structure. Seungmin had never before realised just how long Mr Minho’s eyelashes were, and how much elegance they lent his face, too, and the way his nose and mouth were perfectly in proportion with each other facial feature, too… whilst he was on the subject, Mr Minho’s facial structure was also very pleasing. Mr Minho, in essence, was in himself very pleasing: he truly was pleasantness itself. 

“... Mr Seungmin?” he suddenly heard, and jolted out of his admiring daze at once. “Are you quite alright?”

“Oh… yes, I apologise. I am afraid that I stopped listening for a moment,” Seungin admitted with apologetic airs. “Pray, could you repeat what you just said?”

“I was asking whether my gifting you the blanket today was too much,” Mr Minho asked, “for I am aware it is not a normal thing, so to say, to gift another who is not family. I did not intend to make you uncomfortable with it.”

“Oh no, certainly not!” Seungmin exclaimed, eager to quell Mr Minho’s worries. “It was unusual, definitely, however I am very honoured to have received it, and promise to treasure it forever. Really, sir, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Mr Minho smiled brightly, that beautiful smile of his. “Then I am glad,” said he, and stood up, offering his gloved hand to Seungmin to take. “Mr Seungmin, shall we dance?”

“I should like that very much,” Seungmin replied, and without so much as another glance back at his friends and brethren, he left the room to dance with him.

_ There is nothing so intimate as the pleasure of dancing with the object of one’s affections _ , Seungmin thought as they danced dance after dance, and then danced again,  _ and it is greater still in this manner, _ for he knew that Mr Minho was not usually too fond of dancing, yet offered to dance so many times with Seungmin this evening that it was inherently clear that he was only doing it for the younger. It made his mind fuzzy with happiness, and his smile did not leave its place for a single second for the rest of the night. The socially-permitted stolen touches and glances did not go unnoticed either, and Seungmin revelled in the way that Mr Minho would find ways to keep their hands connected for a little longer than strictly necessary, whatever that meant.

Despite every sign, he dared not let himself hope. For now, he would bask in thoughts of  _ what could be _ , instead of what he  _ hoped _ could be - it would be easier all around. For tonight, he let himself let go of these qualms, and simply enjoyed Mr Minho’s attentions and the pleasure of his company, feeling sure that he should never tire of it, should they be stuck together for all eternity. 

It was the loveliest of feelings, and he never wanted it to end.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

That night, when the Kims finally returned home, Seungmin endured a full hour of teasing from his brothers - of course, how could it not be borne after everything that had happened? But tonight he could not bring himself to resent it, or even  _ pretend _ to be annoyed by it, for he was feeling much too happy to care. 

“Did you see when he was staring so hard at Mr Minho that he ceased to listen to his conversation?” Changbin related with glee, and Jisung laughed freely, whilst Chan poured himself some water and grinned over the lot of them. 

“I cannot believe that Mr Minho went from dancing none of the dances at the beginning of our acquaintance, to dancing every one with Seungmin, discounting the dance he had with myself, in Mr Hyunjin’s place,” JIsung said delightedly, and Seungmin was glad that their room was only candlelit at present instead of oil lamp-lit, for he now had a way to hide his blush from his brothers without having to try. 

“I saw Mr Hyunjin watching you ask Mr Minho to dance from the other side of the  _ room _ , Jisung, it was clear to anybody who saw that you two were planning something,” Chan commented, and sat with his water beside Seungmin on the couch. “What  _ were _ you two doing, pray tell?”

“Oh, nothing of significance. I was simply trying to wrangle some information out of Mr Minho away from everybody else,” JIsung’s eyes sparkled as he spoke, and he directed them solely at Seungmin as he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. “Things our dear Seungmin should love to hear.”

“Do tell us!” Chan insisted, as Changbin sat up, ramrod-straight, and waited with bated breath for the next words to be spoken.

“Well - I found out  _ conveniently _ from Mr Hyunjin that Mr Minho took up knitting  _ specifically _ to make that blanket that he gave to Seungmin today. When I was dancing with Mr Minho he did not say too much on the matter no matter how I tried, but I  _ did _ find out that he thinks of Seungmin quite differently than he thinks of any of  _ us _ .”

The room filled with uproar at once, as each other brother pressed to know what that might entail. “And what did he  _ mean _ by that?” Chan cried, “for it could mean any number of things in different contexts and analysis!”

“I do not rightly know - indeed, he was very vague. He said, and I quote, ‘ _Mr Seungmin is indeed a beautiful person inside and out_ ,’ in response to my comment that Seungmin looked very well tonight. Who would go to such lengths or depths of a compliment, if not a man hopelessly in love?”

Seungmin himself felt rather faint at hearing those words, and longed to hear them from Mr Minho’s lips alone. However he knew that he could not, and silently tucked the words away into the back of his mind for later, when he was sure they would keep him awake all night. 

He quite lost himself then, and found himself daydreaming through the rest of the conversation until everyone decided to go back up to bed, where he covered himself with the gifted blanket and slept soundly.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

A letter from Jeongin awaited him the next morning as he walked down to breakfast. 

_ Dear Seungmin [it read],  _

_ This is simply a very short letter indeed, to inform you that Felix and I will indeed be coming into town for Chan and Miss Yeji’s wedding. I have written to our mother regarding this also, but decided to write a letter to you as well, should the first letter go astray - it is better to be safe than sorry! _

_ We will arrive two-days before the wedding, and stay a week complete afterwards. I do so look forward to seeing you all again, and we will be able to talk again without the vexing delay of letter delivery! We will see you soon. _

_ Sincerely, Jeongin.  _

“Mother, have you also received a letter from Jeongin informing us of his coming to stay with us for Chan’s wedding?” Seungmin asked, looking up from the parchment to Mrs Kim, who sat at the head of the table, opposite Mr Kim. 

“Indeed I have, Seungmin. Oh, how lovely it will be to see him again - and Mr Felix will be staying with us here too, of course, for they are married now. We shall have to see about buying a bigger bed for Jeongin’s room, for his single will not fit the two of them, and we have not the room to give them separate rooms, for Miss Yeji and Miss Vivi will also be staying with us awhile.” 

It was still another three weeks until Mr Felix and Jeongin would come to stay, but it passed again with incredible speeds, perhaps helped along by the presences of Mr Hyunjin and Mr Minho, who would visit whenever they could, and often accompanied the Kim brethren on their errands and activities - indeed, they felt quite like an inseparable unit by now, and on the days when they could not see each other it felt rather strange. Miss Yeji and Miss Vivi came back, too, just five days before the wedding itself, and the Kims were very glad indeed to see them, for they had missed their new friends dearly, and had many a time pretended to feel like Chan’s seeing Miss Yeji more than them was terribly unfair. 

What delighted Seungmin in particular was the chance to finally introduce Misses Yeji and Vivi to Misses Yuna and Jisu, whom he had wanted to unite as one from his very first befriending Misses Yuna and Vivi, knowing very well that the four should like each other very much and wanting to see four good friends become one. 

After writing a letter to Misses Yuna and Jisu, informing them of their current situation and pleading that they would come and call upon the Kim household, they did so at once, and it was a very merry day indeed to see that two days before the wedding, once Jeongin and Mr Felix had arrived too, that the parlour was positively bursting with the reunited Lee and Kim families, as well as Misses Yeji, Yuna, Vivi and Jisu. It truly was a sight to see, and Seungmin was positive that he had never felt so content. 

“Is not this nice? We are quite overrun with guests today,” Jeongin said warmly as he sat beside Seungmin, and Seungmin felt happiness surge through his being like fire as he looked at his brother, who was finally back here, in the flesh. 

“It appears we are. I am so glad that you are back here,” said he, and Jeongin smiled brightly at him, agreeing with his sentiment at once. At the other end of the room, Mr Hyunjin and Mr Minho sat with Mr Felix, looking elated to be together again and talking animatedly whilst Changbin and Chan joined Misses Yeji, Yuna, Vivi and Jisu in a bigger group that talked a little more quietly, but with no less contentment and animation: Chan sat next to Miss Yeji and they both looked very happy to be so, too. Jisung came and joined Seungmin and Jeongin as Ophelia leapt onto Jeongin’s lap, meowing loudly and begging his head pats.

“It seems that my fears of Ophelia forgetting me were those of nonsense,” Jeongin observed as she butted her head up into his hand with energy, before leaping up with her front paws against his chest so that she could mewl directly into his face, before pressing her nose against his own. “It is like I never left.”

“She has missed you,” Jisung offered a head pat of his own, which was amusingly ignored by the cat. 

“As have I... I have missed all of you,” Jeongin admitted, and Seungmin grinned as he bumped Jeongin’s shoulder with his own.

“Missing us aside, how is life at Camellia estate? Your letters are incredibly lacking in the storytelling skills that we can see in real time.”

“It is a true storybook life, and we must have you visit as soon as possible! The only thing it is lacking in is my family, specifically my brothers to tease and annoy me,” Jeongin said, eyes sparkling. “Sometimes Felix and I will ride out to the beach at night - when the tide is out - and take walks on the shoreline when we cannot sleep. In the dark night, when there is no one to be seen but us, it truly does feel as though we are the only people on Earth.”

“You truly are living in a fairytale,” Jisung breathed out, and Seungmin was sure that there were legitimate stars of wonder in his eyes. “Moonlit walks on the beach… I can only imagine.”

“Imagine what, pray?” Mr Hyunjin walked across the room and had arrived at the small group just in time to hear Jisung’s awestruck exclamation. 

“Jeongin was telling us of his moonlit beach strolls with Mr Felix, and Jisung was, to put it simply, wonderstruck,” Seungmin butted in before Jisung could speak, and bit back a laugh when he felt Jisung pinch his arm in retaliation. “It does indeed sound wonderfully romantic.”

“Well then, I shall join you all here, and listen to more stories from Mr Jeongin, in the hopes that we will all learn something more of romantic gestures here today.”

Ophelia contentedly curled up and slept upon Jeongin’s lap as they all caught up after that, and after a while, Seungmin let his attention wander, finding his eyes drawn to the biggest group in the room: the one containing Chan and Changbin, and all of the young ladies. They were a merry group indeed, and Seungmin found himself smiling fondly at the sight of Chan and Miss Yeji having become much more comfortable with each other since Miss Yeji’s last stay at the Kim household, shown even in the way they talked to each other without hesitation and seemed undeterred by their engaged status in the company of so many others. Seungmin could see a wonderful marriage between them already. 

Realising that he was staring, Seungmin snapped his gaze back to the other side of the room, not really considering who or what he would find there - he just needed to avert his gaze somewhere that was not the group that he was just staring at, for sudden fear of seeming too intense or impolite. (In his haste to appear nonchalant he did not attempt to meet anybody else’s eyes, but if he had, he might have met the enlightening sight of one Mr Minho gazing across the room at him with softened eyes and an even softer smile as Mr Felix watched and laughed to himself.)

He was instead met with a faceful of fur, and leapt almost out of his seat in shock to find Ophelia already half-out of Jeongin’s lap, fully awake once more and staring at Seungmin from a mere breath’s width away. Jeongin and Jisung laughed loudly, whilst Mr Hyunjin at least  _ tried _ to hide his own amusement behind his hands, and Seungmin huffed quietly, smiling down at Ophelia and running a hand through her fur. 

“Mischievous one,” he called her, and Jisung agreed wholeheartedly, as he had become all too familiar with being woken by Ophelia in the middle of the night, for it was his chest that she favoured most to use as a launch pad when the sun was no longer shining on their lovely home. 

The next day passed in a flurry of excitement, and as there were no further last minute wedding preparations to be made as the bride was already present, the servants were left to put an order in for the wedding-cake and the entire household left for a picnic, for the September weather still held some warmth, and they found it to be a lovely day for sitting outside; it would be a shame to waste it before the wedding itself caused uproar in Chan moving away: this was a perfect opportunity to spend one more day together as a family, with their friendly extensions, before it would require a great deal more planning to all reunite at once again. 

It was a day spent in the highest of spirits, as everyone sat upon blankets eating the last of the summer fruits and scouring nearby bushes for berries in wholly childlike mannerisms, but nobody could bring it upon themselves to care, for they were having fun, and after all - the most joy can often be found in the most innocent of activities. The Lees brought drinks with them to share among the party, and a frisbee was produced from the group too, which was joyfully thrown about from person to person, and apart from their own group there was not a soul to be seen for what seemed like miles. It was the perfect way to unwind before what would be a much busier day tomorrow, and everyone was found much the better for it. 

Afterwards, everybody returned to the Kim household and shared a hearty meal, before Mr Minho and Mr Hyunjin bid their goodbyes and returned to Evergreen manor, leaving the Kims, Mr Felix and Misses Yeji and Vivi to rest after their last busy days, and sleep well before the big day ahead of them the next day.

It arrived much sooner than anybody thought possible, and soon Miss Yeji was hidden away at one end of the household whilst Chan got ready in his own room, making his way to the church an hour before Miss Yeji left the house, so that he might only see her once he was already stationed at the altar, and not upset any superstitious beliefs that would bring bad luck upon their union. This time, Changbin was Chan’s best man, and of course Miss Vivi was Miss Yeji’s maid of honour: having no mother of her own, Mrs Kim stayed at home to help her get ready herself, and walked her to the church just as she had done Jeongin on his own wedding day a few months ago. 

It was a new experience for Seungmin to be seated within the congregation instead of stood up behind Chan, as he had done as Jeongin’s best man, but in a way he found that he much preferred it, as this way he could observe everything that happened instead of being unable to observe one half of the couple’s reactions alone. Yeji looked breathtaking indeed, in a pale dress of mint greenish tint, with her hair braided elaborately and pinned with clips adorned with diamonds and pearls. Mrs Kim took her seat beside Seungmin, so that he was sitting betwixt herself and Jisung, and as Jisung began to sniffle with emotion he wound his arm around his brother’s in an act of comfort: it was indeed bittersweet, to have their brother who had acted as both a figure of guidance and a best friend for all of them, get married before their eyes and begin the rest of his life today, but they knew that he would be happy in his new life. 

Unlike Jeongin and Mr Felix, Chan and Mrs - Mrs! - Yeji took their breakfast with the wedding party, after a great conundrum of congratulations and confetti awaited them outside the church porch, and left to move into their forever home just one day after their wedding, where they would stay for a week before leaving for their honeymoon. 

“You are likely sick of congratulations already, but we wish you every happiness,” Mrs Kim gushed, taking Mrs Yeji’s hand within both of her own with a beaming smile. “Welcome to our family, my dear. You are so very welcome.”

“I thank you,” Mrs Yeji replied with a smile, “and I could not have married into a more welcoming, nor nicer, family if I had tried.”

“You flatter us,” Mrs Kim cried, but accepted the compliment, and the day passed in merriment and celebration, although Mr Minho and Mr Hyunjin were not present at the breakfast (they had been at the ceremony) due to not being a part of the family. Mr Felix, however, deigned to play their piano for a while, selecting his favourite happy melodies to compliment the day, and when the day had passed and Chan and Mrs Yeji had to leave with Miss Vivi accompanying them, they did so in a whirlwind of more well-wishes, happy tears and goodbyes, and promises to write often and visit again soon. 

“Two brothers married and away,” Seungmin pondered aloud as they walked back into the house, and Jeongin nodded in agreement, “and the eldest and youngest of us all too, no less! It is somewhat of a strange coincidence that it should happen in that order.”

“i wonder which of us shall be next?” Changbin asked, before his expression turned into one of mischief. “I wager Seungmin, to Mr Minho.”

Seungmin might have denied this if he was in any doubt of Mr Felix knowing of the contents of the letter he had sent to Jeongin, but he had no doubt that Jeongin would have told Mr Felix already, and so he did not mind the subject being brought back up again apart from the fact that his mother and father still stood outside, within earshot. 

“Not just now, Changbin,” he muttered, watching to see if their parents had heard anything of Changbin’s words, but they did not show any signs of acknowledgement, and so Seungmin deemed it safe for the time being. “Besides, I am betting on Jisung and Mr Hyunjin.”

“They are close in their race indeed, but I am siding with Jeongin,” Mr Felix decided, “for Mr Seungmin and Minho seem to be further on in their journeys to realisation. My money is on them.”

“Do not bet on how our lives will turn!” Seungmin laughed loudly as they reentered the house. “Whatever happens will happen.”

“I hope that it happens  _ soon _ , for with two brothers married off our lives will get awfully dull if we cannot follow at least  _ one _ storyline of which we can theorise and pester one about,” Changbin laughed with Seungmin, and the door closed behind them all. 

“I feel that Mr Minho and our Seungmin are closer than ever,” Jisung emphasised, and Seungin secretly hoped with all of his heart that this might be true.

For the time being, he would simply live life as normal, but if the opportunity arose, he would take the chance and confess - for what else could he possibly be expected to do, especially with his own fears holding him back?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! the next chapter will likely be the last - i want to thank every single one of you for following along on this journey with me. after that i'll write the hyunsung spinoff, which will be one chapter in its entirety, and i'll likely post it on hyunjin's birthday, so keep an eye out if you're interested! i hope you're all doing okay, please take care <3
> 
> twt: roseseungs  
> kofi: https://ko-fi.com/rainydays325


	9. chapter nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Changbin, I would like to tell you something, but only in the strictest confidence, and you shan’t repeat a word of what I have said here to anyone, I beg of you.”
> 
> Changbin blinked in an unbothered manner, and twisted his body around so that he might inspect the tree trunk behind them, which had a particularly interesting grain pattern that he wanted to feel with his fingertips. “And is this ever-so secret confession regarding a certain Mr Lee Minho?”
> 
> “I…. yes indeed - I am in love with him,” Seungmin rushed out all at once, and Changbin’s eyes widened before he - none too loudly - shouted Seungmin’s words back to him in elated shock. 
> 
> “You are in love with Mr Minho?” he cried, and Seungmin was swift to step forward, slapping a hand over his brother’s mouth and scanning the garden for any sign of anybody who might have heard them. Nature stayed ever-moving, alive and well, but luckily for his own sanity he could not perceive any other signs of human life, and so he released a shaky breath and drew his hand away from Changbin’s mouth before his dear sibling could bite him. He nodded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LAST CHAPTER??? LETS GO DARLINGS

When Jeongin awoke the next day, it was to the feeling of sunlight on his face, and the sensation of his beloved tracing his face with featherlight touches. He blinked his eyes open with effort, and it was not for nought, for he was greeted at once with Felix’s smiling face above him; his husband must have awoken before him and sat up in their bed, manoeuvring Jeongin’s head into his lap as he did so. Jeongin’s newfound favourite way to awaken of a morning was settled comfortably within Felix’s arms, which almost pained him to admit it aloud through its sheer embarrassing nature - and indeed, he would only ever admit it to Felix himself, for with him he could never be ashamed of something as beautifully empowering as loving, or being loved in return, through the many love languages they employed and shared. This morning was a normal feature of their day, yet it still had Jeongin’s heart skipping a beat unbidden, and he turned his head to bury his smile in Felix’s nightclothes.

“Arise, my love,” Felix whispered as he carded his fingers through Jeongin’s hair, “for breakfast will be served soon, and I should not like to keep our hosts waiting.”

“Are they still our hosts when they are my own -- _our_ own -- family?” Jeongin protested, and did not make any attempt to move, liking Felix’s warmth far too much to subject himself to the harsh chill of the autumnal morning air. 

“ _I_ should think so,” Felix pondered, but proceeded to lay back down regardless of his prior concerns, and his hand stayed stroking Jeongin’s hair back from his face as he did so. “Well then, before we arise: perhaps you would like to know some classified information that I have not yet been able to share with you.”

Indeed, the couple had had time to speak last night before they slept, but the exhaustion of the last few days, full of weddings and traveling and excitement, had worn them out to the point of simply wanting to lay silently with each other, and no words had needed to be said as they rested, ready for the next day of family and friends. However, refreshed and recharged after a good night’s sleep, and Felix was ready to tell Jeongin the secrets of the very universe itself - and who was Jeongin if not an avid listener?

“I have it on a reliable source that Minho’s regard for Seungmin has not changed since his first proposal, and has only grown more intricate and elaborate since they have grown closer,” Felix revealed, and Jeongin gasped despite the sheer obviousness of Mr Minho’s regard for Seungmin. 

“And he told you this himself?”

“He did indeed - yesterday, when everybody was in the garden, and we came inside to ask the servants to fetch drinks for the rest of us. He told me in the strictest confidence, but surely he did not expect me to  _ not _ tell something like this to you by extension.”

“I will not tell a soul, but his confession is indeed very telling,” Jeongin laughed into his hands, “for now whenever I will see them around each other I will be sure to be over-analyse their every movement.”

“It will make for capital entertainment until one of them finally confesses to the other.”

“Indeed it will. But for now - as you said, we have to rise now, and go down to breakfast.” Taking advantage of the privacy they had until they were to leave their bedroom for the day, Jeongin pushed himself up to support himself on his elbows and kissed Felix gently, relishing in the warmth of his husband’s lips against his own for a moment as time seemed to slow to a stop around the couple. As restrictive as public etiquette for couples was, and how much it vexed any couple in love who wanted nothing more than to be able to embrace openly in public, it did make the stolen moments alone, where there were no prying eyes or rules to uphold, even more all-consuming and special - the ability to love as freely as one wanted in private made Jeongin appreciate said moments all the more.

At Camellia Estate, of course, as long as no relatives or friends were visiting then Felix and Jeongin could be as open as they should please - servants be damned. That in itself possessed a hauntingly romantic feeling within it, as though their home was their own loving safe haven wherein they could love each other as much as they should ever wish to. Now, back at the Kim household, they were back to limiting physical affection to situations of absolute privacy, but they were none the worse for it - rather, the lack of ability to be openly affectionate was replaced with good friends, family and new memories, and so neither man lamented the loss whatsoever. 

As they made their way downstairs after dressing and readying themselves for the day ahead, neither could argue on the fact that something did indeed feel different in the air that day, although nobody could place what, and it did feel like a  _ good _ change rather than bad.

They would simply have to wait a while to find out what exactly had changed.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Forgive me for speaking so plainly, Seungmin, but Mr Minho pays you a vast deal of attention recently,” Jeongin mentioned to his brother a few days later, as they took a walk along the dust paths into the nearby fields, like old times. “More so than I remember, and I  _ remember _ a great deal too.”

Seungmin blushed in the autumn light, and looked into the sky by means of avoiding Jeongin’s direct, searching gaze. “He does? I confess to not having noticed.” He had indeed noticed, but wanted to play coy: if he admitted to having noticed, then perhaps he would have to speak as plainly as Jeongin, aside from the fact that he wished to know what Jeongin himself had perceived, and gain the perspective of an outsider. “What have you noticed, pray?”

“Only that he seems very attached to you as of recently, and when he is with us all he rarely leaves your side, and is very attentive to your needs.”

Seungmin had noticed that, too. Mr Minho had grown very familiar with any telling signs that Seungmin had, and could tell at a moment’s glance if he was in any discomfort of any kind. At the dry clearing of his throat Mr Minho would ask if he was thirsty, and insist on fetching a drink himself; at a glance too long at a window he would offer his arm for a walk outside, for he could tell that Seungmin was getting restless, and longed to be outside, in the fresh air. All of these signs that even his own brethren may not have ever learned to pick up on, Mr Minho seemed to know like the back of his hand - and Seungmin had to admit that he was no different in his own actions towards him, and had learned quite a few of Mr Minho’s own telling signs too.

He only had to observe the twitching of fingers towards Ophelia to know that Mr Minho wished to stroke her, and would pick her up to deposit onto his lap, or into his arms, wherever he could; at the sound of one specific type of stilted laugh that Mr Minho would let out in public, Seungmin could tell that the elder man was getting slightly overwhelmed in unfamiliar company, and would carefully manoeuvre his way into the conversation himself, to add some semblance of comfort and familiarity. 

He was grateful that Jeongin did not mention his own actions towards Mr Minho, for he would surely combust if he did. 

“It is endearing, to see the way that you take care of each other,” Jeongin commented as soon as Seungmin had thought the above, and Seungmin groaned aloud. He had spoken too soon - of course someone as observant as his brother would pick up on their mutual actions - or perhaps it would not even take a blind man to see it.

“How do you feel about it all, Seungmin?” Jeongin asked openly, and Seungmin was at once confused, and so Jeongin elaborated: “Are you happy in your current situation with him? Do you think it too much or too little; would you like to move things along?”

“I… I am very happy where we are at the moment,” Seungmin said after a moment’s thought, “but I will admit to longing for some sign that Mr Minho would at least like to court me, instead of being left hanging in ambiguity. Whilst today is comfortable, I do not yet know where we stand, and that is frightening sometimes.” 

“You are scared that without securing him you shall lose him,” Jeongin drew wisely, and nodded. “What of the possibility of confession? That way you could secure him and leave no doubt of either of your regards.”

“I should so love to possess the courage, but after rejecting his first proposal, and then having our friendship flourish and blossom, it is a terrifying thing to think of breaking,” Seungmin breathed, “for friendship built on such foundations and circumstances as unique as ours seem fragile, and breakable in their beauty. Perhaps its circumstantial development is what gives it its beauteous undertone, but I should not like to lose it for the world.”

Jeongin stopped walking, and turned to face Seungmin in earnest. “You are silly to think that you should lose Mr Minho for something like romantic regard. I am in no doubt of his feelings for  _ you _ , and even if I should be wrong in this department then I think both of us know that your friendship with him is not something so fragile as you have described it.”

Seungmin smiled wantingly. “I should hope so, but-”

“Do not worry yourself with buts, and ifs,” Jeongin interrupted, “for the best thing to do in situations such as these is long for the best possible outcome. It is my philosophy that if one is optimistic, then the situation at hand has a higher chance of manifesting that was as well. If you go into this feeling pessimistically, then surely those negative emotions will infiltrate into the events that will happen following it.”

“You are right,” Seungmin agreed, “I thank you. I need only be positive about this, and things will work out exactly as they are meant to.”

“So I trust that you will confess soon?”

“I am not sure how soon, but I am made up in my resolution to draw the courage from somewhere before long - I cannot risk losing him to something as trivial and weak as cowardice,” Seungmin said, wringing his hands. 

“Ah! Then I have empowered you,” Jeongin teazed, “and I expect full credit at your wedding for doing so.”

“You are insufferable,” Seungmin jested, “... Thank you.”

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

“Have a safe journey home, both of you,” Seungmin bade Jeongin and Mr Felix as they boarded their coach to travel back to Camellia Estate in, just two days later, “and do not forget to write! I expect an invitation to visit very soon.”

“And an invitation you shall receive, for after seeing you again I know not how I will do without you for long,” Jeongin promised, and placed a hand upon Seungmin’s shoulder momentarily as he spoke. “Do keep us posted regarding your  _ situation _ -” he could not speak openly, for Changbin stood only a few feet away, conversing quietly with Jisung about matters unknown, and the true extent of Seungmin's present romantic situation had not been openly discussed with them as of yet - “and know that we are rooting for you!”

“Love is not necessarily a matter to root for in this nature, but I appreciate the sentiment nonetheless,” Seungmin laughed lightly, and then stepped back as Mr and Mrs Kim took over from the conversation; Mr Kim stoically wishing the couple a safe journey and happy times whilst Mrs Kim was a little more  _ vocal _ , so to say, as she seemed close to tears as she said another emotional goodbye to her son and son-in-law. 

Soon their carriage left, and the town of Maplebrook was once more left without the presence of Jeongin and Mr Felix, a privilege of which it was very thankful to have received when it had. Following their departure, the remaining Kim brethren had plans to try their hands at fencing together, which had never before been of great priority to them, but after asking Mr Felix, who was well-versed in the art, more about the sport they had found themselves irrevocably interested and wishing to know more: what better time to start than the present? And so, they made their way into town to the nearest hall in which beginner’s fencing was being held, and entered their first class.

To Seungmin’s great surprise, the sport was fairly straightforward once one had mastered the basic stance and posture - he found that it helped greatly to memorise that first, which aided his sword-strokes immensely, instead of Changbin’s amusingly futile efforts at mastering the sword motions foremost, which proved to be vain efforts lacking in foundation. Jisung, however, was by far the best of the three, and Seungmin supposed that his lithe body made that possible, lending him a certain fluidity that both Seungmin and Changbin, a little broader in comparison, found harder to master. 

What shocked them even further was when another member of the halls, who had watched the brethrens’ steady progress with a watchful eye their entire stay thus far, had challenged Jisung to an easy game, wherein he would play gently, but not be merciful, that Jisung then won. Seungmin and Changbin, winded from their exercise, had watched from the sidelines as Jisung emerged victorious, and although their new friend had gone easy on him, it was still a great victory for his first time properly fighting another. He yelled aloud in excitement, and held his sword aloft.

“Ho, good job Jisung!” Changbin cheered, and Seungmin clapped proudly. 

“A true natural, if you do not mind my commenting,” Jisung’s partner commented, before introducing himself as Richard, and telling the Kims that he was a regular in these halls, and would be happy to assist their bettering themselves in the art of fencing if they should so like that. They agreed, knowing that they should all immensely enjoy getting better at the sport, and stayed another hour before departing back home, each feeling light and accomplished in their resulting fatigue.

“Do you think that Mr Felix teaches our Jeongin how to fence at Camellia Estate?” Changbin asked as they walked home. “I remember Mr Felix mentioning his fencing on the first time he visited our home for a meal, and Jeongin looked as though he was about to burst.”

“He did indeed,” Seungmin laughed, remembering the look on Jeongin’s face as Mr Felix had mentioned the sport, and how he had immediately blushed and resorted to playing with his cutlery as a distraction from his thoughts. “I should wager that he would have tried to teach him by now. Whether they will get very far is another matter.”

“Do not be so vulgar, Seungmin!” Jisung said aloud in shock, and Seungmin burst into peals of laughter.

“I did not mean it like  _ that _ , and so perhaps it is not myself who is so vulgar here!”

“You are both hopeless,” Changbin said fondly, and threw an arm over both of their shoulders. “Never change.”

“As much as everything is changing nowadays, we can safely promise never to change in this manner. To you, we will always be your silly younger brothers who make you laugh,” Jisung promised resolutely, and Seungmin hummed in agreement.

Jisung’s words rang incredibly true. With Chan and Jeongin’s marriages, and them moving out of the Kim household within months of each other, everything did seem to be upended and turned on its head recently - but if there was one thing that stayed consistent, it would be family, and happy memories. And each brother took extreme comfort in those things.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿ ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

It had now been three weeks since Chan’s wedding, and two consequent weeks since Seungmin had been able to talk to Jeongin about his situation about loving Mr Minho, in person. With Jeongin gone, and the two being back to having to wait for days upon days for their letters to send and arrive, Seungmin was itching with the absolute need to tell somebody about the  _ true _ extent of his feelings. He could not keep them within a minute longer! Technically, he had told Jeongin about the  _ love _ aspect, but without the ability to receive an immediate response as of now, Seungmin felt as if he would explode if he did not have a verbal conversation about it soon. 

Jisung was in the stables, tending longingly to his father’s horse. Changbin, however, was in the garden, doing god knows what, but either way he was Seungmin’s easiest hope. He made his way outside, shielding his eyes from the sun as he looked about to find his brother.

He was sitting below a tree, a book open on his lap, and so Seungmin made his way over immediately, sitting down heavily beside him and groaning into cupped hands. Changbin closed his book in quick interest, a slow grin taking over his face as he looked curiously at the despairing Seungmin.

“Changbin, I would like to tell you something, but only in the strictest confidence, and you shan’t repeat a word of what I have said here to anyone, I beg of you.”

Changbin blinked in an unbothered manner, and twisted his body around so that he might inspect the tree trunk behind them, which had a particularly interesting grain pattern that he wanted to feel with his fingertips. “And is this ever-so secret confession regarding a certain Mr Lee Minho?”

“I…. yes indeed - I am in love with him,” Seungmin rushed out all at once, and Changbin’s eyes widened before he - none too loudly - shouted Seungmin’s words back to him in elated shock. 

“You are in love with Mr Minho?” he cried, and Seungmin was swift to step forward, slapping a hand over his brother’s mouth and scanning the garden for any sign of anybody who might have heard them. Nature stayed ever-moving, alive and well, but luckily for his own sanity he could not perceive any other signs of human life, and so he released a shaky breath and drew his hand away from Changbin’s mouth before his  _ dear _ sibling could bite him. He nodded.

“Well, I cannot say that I am surprised. Although I do congratulate you on finally turning the light on within that dim head of yours,” Changbin gloated, and Seungmin scowled, resisting the urge to cover Changbin’s mouth again. 

“I do wonder at my ever telling you at all.”

Changbin grinned, and raised his hands in playful defence. “Tell at haste, repent at leisure… or however the proverb goes.”

“That proverb is about marriage.”

“Then you should marry Mr Minho in haste! You have waited long enough, and I doubt there will be any repentance for as long as you both shall live.”

“But…” Seungmin sighed heavily, and Changbin suppressed laughter, observing that many a heavy heart could only be the source of such a weighted, feeling sigh as that one. Seungmin sighed again, partly for Changbin’s own entertainment, before he continued: “I am uneasy about my regard for Mr Minho, for he has already proposed to me once, and I rejected him! There is little possibility of his renewing any affection towards me.”

“I do wish that our Jeongin were still here, to convey to you how incredibly foolish you are being,” Changbin deadpanned, “for we have all seen how Mr Minho treats you so! If he had given up all hope then he likely would have left you alone from the start but here he is, a year later, visiting you every day he can under the guise of seeing a  _ cat _ .”

“He loves Ophelia as much as I do,” Seungmin argued weakly, but Changbin caught onto his string of weakness and pulled at it before it could be reigned back in, and wrapped back around Seungmin’s heart, never to emerge again.

“Here you both are, practically raising a feline together and still you do not acknowledge his inclination for you! Could things be any clearer? Because I certainly know that they cannot be.”

“Just you wait until  _ you _ fall in love, so that I can repeat these exact words to you - mentally, I am writing your responses down word for word and committing them to memory.”

Changbin snorted aloud, which drew a grin from Seungmin himself. 

“Well, do you plan to act on this love for him? Or do you plan to tiptoe around him as you both have been doing for these long, long months past?”

“I…” 

“You are in love with Mr Minho?” Jisung called suddenly, running at full speed across the garden to his brothers. Seungmin groaned, and begged that he would be quiet, lest anybody else overhear his predicament, but Jisung assured him that there could be nobody within a mile radius who would  _ not _ know about Seungmin’s situation by now, for Changbin had shouted so loudly beforehand. Jisung himself had heard his exclamation from the stables, and had sprinted immediately to the source of the noise, needing to be a part of it too.

“The cat is out of the bag,” Changbin crowed gleefully, and Jisung clapped his hands together with delight. 

“I am sure that I’ve known for centuries now. It is not as if either of you bother to _hide_ your regard.”

“If there is nothing to be hidden, then why is it so hard to first acknowledge, and then act upon my feelings?” Seungmin groaned into his hands, and Jisung patted his back none too gently in a display of violent support. “Fate seems to be writing the script of my life in a most burlesque manner.” 

“Then I struggle to see the problem in taking it into your own hands and conveying the depth of your feelings to Mr Minho in a simple, outright manner,” Jisung urged him. “It is so simple when one really thinks about it!”

“I would take your advice if you were not such a coward as I am,” Seungmin quipped. “You speak of this so lightly yet I have not seen yourself practising in the acts that you are preaching.”

Jisung fell rightly silent at Seungmin’s prodding, and Changbin laughed heartily at his newly found despair. 

“What a grand day this is, that I can hear both of my brothers being absolutely hopeless in love.”

“And what of you, Changbin? Do not think you have escaped our clutches,” Seungmin laughed, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him closer towards himself and Jisung, for he seemed to be ready to run at a moment’s notice. “Do not _you_ feel romantically for anybody at the moment?”

“Me? Oh no, not I,” Changbin said, “for I soon plan to join the militia, and I would rather not currently be hindered by romantic interest.”

“The militia! Indeed, you will make a fine officer there, and outswagger the lot of them,” Jisung replied approvingly, and Seungmin nodded in agreement.

“Indeed, and you will travel a great deal too, when your regiment moves and relocates - you will have a great deal of stories to tell when you find time to come and visit us,” he added.

Before Changbin could speak further there was all at once a great flurry within the house, and a servant ran outside to announce the arrival of a newcomer. This newcomer was by no means  _ new _ , and was simply Mr Minho, but with every brother in the back gardens and Mr Kim out for the day, Mrs Kim had likely missed his entrance, prompting confusion from the servants, who had grown used to the Lee brethren coming and going frequently, but being met with one of the Kims each time. 

“A Mr Minho to visit,” she said, and bowed in respect as Mr Minho walked past her into the open planes of the garden, greeting Changbin, Jisung and Seungmin with a polite smile, although something about his countenance seemed off, and Seungmin could not quite place  _ why _ . 

“Mr Minho, are you well?” Changbin was the first to speak, and everybody stood up to meet Mr Minho in the middle, brushing the dirt and soil from themselves as they did so. 

“Quite well, I thank you. And yourselves?” Mr Minho asked, and once everyone had assured him of their own present wellbeing he turned to Seungmin, and sent an apologetic glance to Changbin and Jisung.

“I apologise, but I have something that I should like to enquire to Mr Seungmin about, and would rather our business not be overheard,” Mr Minho said regretfully, and at once Changbin and Jisung nodded, walking back away in the direction of the house with mixed expressions of confusion and suggestiveness. 

Seungmin waited for them to disappear completely before he turned back to Mr Minho, who was already watching him with a sort of pensiveness within his eyes, and Seungmin wanted to reach out and smooth the crease between his brow a surprising amount. Instead, he spread his hands, and asked what Mr Minho should like to speak about, feeling utterly lost for topics that should invite the need for absolute privacy.

“Mr Seungmin, I have urgent business that I admit I did not originally come here with the intent of discussing, but on my way here I heard some startling news that has spurred me into motion immediately,” Mr Minho said quietly, and Seungmin noted with concern how his voice trembled a little as he spoke, and hoped that what he was about to her was of good nature, and not that of tragedy, loss or consequence. Staying silent until Mr Minho next spake, he felt as if every millisecond stretched on for eternity, but dared not interrupt the quietness that exuded from Mr Minho as he seemed to gather his thoughts before finally speaking aloud again. 

“I am not sure how well you may take this… please, I beg that you would sit down momentarily.”

Seungmin heeded his words, and sat down on the small wooden swing that hung from one of their trees at once, his hands finding the roughened ropes for support as his feet dug into the grass beneath him to slow and stop the swing’s motion: he did not want to move and disrupt the serenity, nor gravity of this situation, which he could feel was about to enter much more serious territory.

“I would like you to know that my feelings have not changed since I confessed them to you last year,” Mr Minho rushed out in one breath, and though nerves almost got the better of him, he held eye contact - but did not dare move any closer towards Seungmin. “Such feelings have been growing ever stronger as we have grown together, and I could not find it within me to conceal them any longer. I was wondering if your feelings towards  _ myself _ had changed any…” 

“Oh,” Seungmin whispered, “Mr Minho, they have changed a vast deal. They are… quite the opposite, I daresay… I admit I was blinded with prejudices of my own, then, and did not then have the wisdom to learn to open my eyes and see past the mask you wear in front of strangers.” 

Mr Minho’s entire face lit up like the morning sun, and he shuffled closer. Seungmin was the one to take  _ his _ hands this time, the touch both scandalous but so entirely familiar by this time, and Mr Minho took a deep inhale before speaking again, his hands shaking within Seungmin’s own but his eyes surprised yet sure.

“I had so hoped that this would be your answer… I heard something of your brothers shouting of your regard for me, but I dared not hope until now -- you… Do you feel the same way as I do, then? As I always have? Pray, tell me now and end my suffering - but if my feelings are still not returned, and I have interpreted wrongly, then one word from you will silence me on this topic forevermore: I beg that you would not let this come between our friendship.” 

Seungmin laughed lightly. “Would you like for me to spell things out for you, Mr Lee Minho? I… I am very much in love with you… and I have been for some time now.” 

“In love with me,” Mr Minho repeated, and Seungmin could have sworn that the entire sky of stars was reflected into the eyes of the man he loved in that very second. “Then… what would you have to say regarding my proposal?”

Seungmin smiled and lit up mischievously; batting his eyelashes and averting his eyes back to the ground. “You proposed to me last year: will you not ask me again?”

Beaming the purest smile Seungmin thinks he had ever laid eyes on, Minho kept their hands laced together as he knelt on the grass, on one knee, traditional. “Kim Seungmin, may I have the honour and blessing of taking your hand in marriage, and having you stay by my side forevermore, from this day forth? Will you allow me to wake up next to you, every day for the rest of our lives, and cherish, treasure and spoil you with everything I have?” 

Seungmin laughed, the sound bubbling and full of blissful, unadulterated  _ happiness _ as he threw himself off and away from the wooden swing upon which he was settled, flying straight into Mr Minho’s arms, who received him with enthusiasm and held him closer than Seungmin had ever been held before. “Only if you let me do the same thing to you…” he pulled away and knelt down in front of Mr Minho, too, creating equal ground between them instead of the enforced symbolism of superiority created by kneeling. Mr Minho’s hands never left his body, however, and they remained connected via their interlaced hands, unwilling to part fully. “Will you let me spend the rest of my days loving you as you will love me, and making up for the way I misjudged you at the beginning of our story?”

“You have nothing to make up for, my dearest, for we were both at fault back then,” Minho whispered, leaning in so close that their lips may be but a mere breath away from each other’s, “I ask only that you let me love you so deeply, and so much, that you will eventually beg to be parted from me.”

“I will beg for no such thing, for as long as we both shall live,” Seungmin closed his eyes, and let the gap between them be closed for a moment despite the impropriety of it all; plush lips pressing momentarily against his own as he sighed against them, melting against the man who continued to hold his hands so gently. All too soon he pulled away, missing that warmth already, and smiled, absolutely sure that his beaming must have been wider than the sun with the force of his happiness. “Yes, Minho, I will marry you.”

And yes, it did take an unspeakable amount of self control for the two to  _ not _ rush ahead into what people might consider  _ indecent _ before their wedding day: long months of pining in love had made the couple long beyond words to finally have the ability to hold each other; to be able to sit next to each other without any distance separating them, and to kiss once more: the urge grew stronger and almost into an uncontrollable beast, but Seungmin stayed especially resolute in saving the bliss of the feeling until they were to be married a month later; a short engagement ending in a breathtaking winter wedding.

“Will not it be considered thoroughly improper, and untraditional, to not marry within the church itself?” Mrs Lee asked, slightly aghast, upon hearing of their ceremonial wedding plans a fortnight later. “And it will be in the middle of winter, too: surely you will want to marry within the church.”

“It will still be a church-sanctioned union, mother, but none of our journey thus far has been exactly  _ traditional _ ,” Minho answered in fond tones, gazing with such adoration across the table at Seungmin that the latter thought his heart might explode, and he extended his foot beneath the expanse of wood separating them, so that they might hook their ankles together, a silent breach of etiquette in the name of love. 

“Then so be it. I am sure that it will be a very beautiful ceremony.”

Seungmin was the one to walk down the isle of their outdoor wedding two weeks after that, feeling the crunch of fresh snow beneath his feet as he made his way slowly up the untouched aisle; one set of footprints leading up to Minho, who stood waiting with the happiest of tears in his eyes and the brightest smile Seungmin thinks he had ever seen anybody wear. Next to Minho, stood Mr Hyunjin, his best man, and Seungmin’s own best man, Jeongin, stood opposite, whilst the faces of his beloved friends and family lined the standing audience surrounding the makeshift aisle, a sea of emotional and happy faces to swim across before he could reach his love.

Seungmin truly felt as if he was floating.

When he looked up, upon reaching Minho at the end, he saw the intricate archway above them both, interwoven with winter wildflowers and evergreen leaves, and in his peripheral vision he still noticed the smiling faces of his family and townspeople, all turned up to stand, watch and congratulate the soon-to-be newlywed couple. But all that mattered to Seungmin was the man waiting for him at the end of it all.

And when he finally reached his fiance at the place that they would spend the last seconds of their short engagement in, they said their vows surrounded by snowflakes and frosted trees, and Seungmin  _ finally _ got to reach out and take his  _ husband’s _ hands within his own as they spake words meant only for each other.

Perhaps it was the adrenaline, or perhaps it was his burning love for the man stood before him, but despite the snow blanketing the ground beneath them and the icy chill that hung in the December air, Seungmin felt nothing but warmth, exuding from the very depths to his chest and expanding out to even his fingertips. 

But as their vicar  _ finally _ said, “I now pronounce you both married. You may kiss your groom,” and Seungmin  _ finally _ felt the soft press of lips against his own for the second time; bodies finally pressing together into each other’s personal space without boundaries, as their congregation erupted in applause and cheers, he thought that it was all entirely worth the wait. It was  _ perfect _ ; the way Seungmin felt Minho smile against his lips in joy barely-contained made every  _ second _ of waiting worth it.

“We must take our leave now, dearest one,” Minho whispered to him as they later pulled away from the documents they had signed to cement their union, and Seungmin did not hesitate to take the hand of the man he loved, holding on tight as they made their way back down the aisle, the priorly singular-tracked snow being replaced with two sets of footprints; united, as they will be for as long as they both shall live, and although they should have been keeping their eyes in front of them to prevent slipping on the snow the two newlyweds only had eyes for each other; could not look away for more than a moment, despite the deafening, joyous cheering and confetti being thrown all around them, cascading down upon them in a flurry of happiness and well-wishes.

They made straight for their open-top carriage, where Minho helped Seungmin in first before he clambered up afterwards, crowding in closer than strictly appropriate in public, but who would ever mention it? Indeed, nobody at all - for it was their wedding day after all, and it was only to be expected that they should be feeling extra affectionate in a case such as their own.

“And where shall we go, for our honeymoon, my love?” Seungmin whispered among the cheers, for their coachman had yet to spur their horses into action. “I would so love to know; you have kept this a secret from me for so long now.”

Minho’s eyes sparkled with a thousand suns as he leaned in, secretive and warm. “Your brothers mentioned to me on the day of our engagement that you had so longed to see the peaks of the Lake District for much of your life… where better than that, then?”

“I love you,” Seungmin said, and his voice was heavy with the weight of his emotions. “Truly my love, I love you so much.”

“I love you too. Very much,” Minho replied, and then he nodded to the coachman, who tugged on the reins of his horses and spurred the carriage into action as they rumbled away down the worn village paths, with their families waving them off with white handkerchiefs and wide smiles.

Perhaps taking an open-top carriage was not the best idea in light of how long the couple would be travelling for, especially considering the fact that it was winter, and within the first hour Seungmin felt as windswept as he would have felt if he had taken to riding a horse for their entire journey instead. What made it better, however, was the steady comfort of Minho’s fingers laced with his own, never leaving or letting go for even a second, and the way that when their carriage rode through particularly secluded spaces, for example tree archways or between rock walls as they neared their first destination, it granted Seungmin the privacy to lean his head upon Minho's shoulder, where he may receive a small kiss placed upon the crown of his head, or sometimes even his forehead. It was a deliciously secret pleasure that the two openly delighted in.

"Your nose is red," Minho observed as he leaned in close, and planted a small kiss to the tip of Seungmin's cold, cold nose. "You are not too cold, I hope?" he asked this, for although he held Seungmin's hand in his own, he knew that his own body warmth being transferred to one small part of his husband's body could not account for the rest of it, and he could not feel nor see the rest of his husband apart from his dear face, for his layers upon layers of clothing to keep warm in.

"How could I be cold, when my love for you sets me alight?" Seungmin answered, and then collapsed into peals of laughter. "I do not jest - but physically, I will admit that it is  _ freezing _ ."

"Then we should close the carriage-top now, my darling, or else we shall both catch cold," Minho whispered to Seungmin as the latter began to shake with full-body shivers. "You shall still be able to see our surroundings, but do not let us fall ill on our honeymoon."

"Oh, by all means," Seungmin agreed, "let me help you." -- For he was not at all adverse to a little more warmth, and perhaps the bliss of being newly wedded had made him greedy: he longed for a little more privacy wherein he might lean into Minho's side and receive the feeling of his arms being wrapped around his waist, or vice versa. Adding these small cravings of physical affection to a physically concerning degree of cold only made his present suffering that little more  _ convenient  _ in its solutions.

With a little difficulty they managed to erect the folding hood of the carriage, which shielded them both a little from the chilly winds, and Seungmin pulled their blanket a little further onto their legs, not liking the chill that reached his midriff there. Minho's blanket served its purpose well, and although its material was a single layer of wool, the wool itself was incredibly thick, and created a kind of indoor heat around their legs.

Soon the carriage came to a halt, and their driver informed them that they were taking a short break, to check on the wheels and have their horses rest awhile without tiring them out completely on their journey. Seungmin and Minho nodded, and left the carriage immediately, leaving the blanket behind and deciding that it would be much more beneficial to explore their new surroundings than sit quietly within the carriage whilst it was being inspected.

The sight, now that it was not being jostled and jolted by gargantuan wheels on rocky terrain, was something that truly took Seungmin's breath away: all around their current path laid trees, and beyond those, mountains: great mountains dusted with snow that was kissed by wispy clouds against the grey-blue sky above them. It was beauty of the wildest sort: natural, untamed, free, and Seungmin wanted to return here in the Spring season, when the snow would not make their paths slippery nor the ice hazardous, so that he may walk among each and every mountain, and circle its base and explore its grounds and grasses and flowers all day long.

“Everything is simply so beautiful,” Seungmin breathed, and Minho smiled at him, daring to take his hand and interlace their fingers in the open view of the trees and peaks to see and stare at. Never had Seungmin existed in such open privacy, and the knowledge that they, newlyweds, could be openly affectionate to a degree larger of an extent than they could be anywhere else that was not the privacy of their own home sent a thrill of excitement through his heart. Of course, they still had their carriage driver to think about, but that was of little matter as he tended to the carriage’s horses and Minho led Seungmin out of sight, around a particularly tall tree, and held him there, his arms slipping snugly around Seungmin’s waist as their faces drew together, just centimetres apart.

“Hello,” Seungmin could not resist a small laugh, loving the feeling of being embraced so openly, and his hands found the rough bark of the tree behind him as Minho closed the gap between them, finally kissing Seungmin where he had been craving since their leaving that morning. Seungmin did not think that he would ever get used to the feeling of Minho's lips on his, and the notion that he would have the rest of their lives to find out if he ever _would_ made him ecstatic beyond belief. The feeling of being held by his husband leaves him feeling weak in the best possible way, as if with just one act of affection, Seungmin was baring his entire soul to Minho - which, in a way, he was, and he had never been one to initiate so much affection in his entire life until now. 

“This still feels so scandalous, as if we are committing an act of great treason,” Minho whispered against Seungmin’s lips as they parted a mere breath’s width, and no more, “but we are not: we are married, we are husbands, and we are very much allowed to finally be open in our loving each other.”

“You forget the basics of societal etiquette, and what is proper,” Seungmin chuckled, but he was the next to lean back in, closing that darned space between them once more and closing his eyes against the wave of feeling that overcame him as he did so. “But right here, right now… our only audience is Earth itself.”

“And what is more earthly and natural than love?”

“Nothing is more natural than love.”

“So, my love, we may embrace here as much as we should like, for it is only us and the Earth: nobody will gawk or whisper of our doings,” Minho whispered again, as if it were some great secret only for the two of them to hear and acknowledge, and Seungmin found unbidden laughter bubbling from his chest before he could think twice about it. 

“What is it, my love?”

“Oh, nothing - I am just very happy,” Seungmin answered, “I love you.”

“I do not think that I shall ever tire of hearing those words fall from your lips,” Minho admitted, and leaned forward, leaving the softest of butterfly kisses on Seungmin’s face in lieu of kissing him properly once more. “To think that I shall have the rest of my life to hear it…”

And yes, they adopt Ophelia into their forever-home immediately, and she is brought to them at their nearest opportunity once they return from their honeymoon. Minho, too, had grounds of his own to inherit once married, and he and Seungmin found a new home among orange-blossoms and orchids, where Ophelia could roam about the grass and grounds to her heart’s content, and Seungmin and Minho could finally parent her together, in a magnificent home of their own. 

They are happy, and content, and loved to their very limits of loving capabilities by each other, and to each other. 

  
  


And if Seungmin thought that the peaks of the Lakes were a beauty unmatched from anything else he has ever laid eyes on, it was absolutely nothing compared to the smile of the man who now could lay next to him every night, holding his hand and loving him, and letting himself be loved in return.

  
  


Minho thinks so too. He does not think that he has ever felt happier in his entire life.

  
  
  


Seungmin does not think that he will ever get used to the feeling of Minho holding him, and vice versa, nor the feeling of Minho’s lips on his own. But they have forever and a day for that now, and they will not waste a single second.

_ ~.fin.~ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND WE'RE DONE???? I have so many emotions coursing through me right now because this fic has honestly grown to be so dear to me and it feels so unreal that it's finished, and seemingly so quickly too! 
> 
> Thank you everyone for sticking here until the end and enjoying, and an especially huge thank you to those who have left kudos, bookmarks and comments, whether just the one or regularly - your endless support and love has kept me believing in myself and motivated throughout the entirety of this. I honestly can't thank you enough, take every ounce of my love <3
> 
> Also, here's the spotify playlist for the songs I would listen to whilst writing this fic, just in case anyone is a fan of classical/piano music and would be interested in seeing which songs went into the vibes of this fic! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5HHU8zyYBsOVVII8Q8zJgM?si=a4a603f7019d461e (i still dont know how to hyperlink on here whoops)
> 
> One last HUGE thank you to you all! This feels so strange to be signing off on this fic for the last time, so I hope that you've all loved it as much as I have, and again, thank you so so much for your support <3 come and interact with me on twt if you'd like, or follow for updates on the hyunsung spinoff/new upcoming fics!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed ♡
> 
> twt: roseseungs  
> tumblr: rosepetalsandrain  
> kofi: https://ko-fi.com/rainydays325


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